Evening star., 1935-09-01
September I. 1885

douDt TINS gloomy house, with its
stone corridors and dark spiral stairs,
had depressed them both. What
troubled me was something more
definite than the fancies of two elderly
servants.
The more thought about my
grandfather's strange life here in the
last twelve months, living like
recluse, the more puzzled | became.
Judging from the life he had previ-
ously led. should have thought that
villa in the South of France would
have been more to his taste - Nice,
Monte Carlo. And then remem-
bered something else, and hastily
pulled letter from my pocket.
The lawyer in London had handed
1t to me in a sealed envelope. 1t had
been written by my grandfather and
addressed to me. had opened it in
the lawyers presence. and we had
both laughed over its contents. 1t was
ridiculous letter, beginning MY dear
grandson" and the old man hoped
that. since he had made me his sole
heir. would cherish his memory. (As
If | had any memories of him to
cherishD He regretted that he had
little money to leave to me, but added
that no doubt would decide to sell
Falcon Castle and all its contents, and
his library would bring me in a SUBJ
stantial sum; so would his collection of
snuf-boxes and antique furniture. But
1t was his earnest desire that | would
retain two mementoes of him firstly
his portrait in the dining-room and,
secondly, the little antique mirror
that hung on his bedroom wall. II
picked up that mirror years ago in a
rmio shop" he continued. II refer to
the one with an eighteenth century satyr
mask rarred on the frame, and ii has
brought me good fortune. Keep ii, To-
sether ~ith the oil painting, for my sake.
Your deeoted grandfather.
Felix Swinburn."
The lawyer had chuckled at this.
''Satyr Mask! That's what his friends
used to call him - Old Satyr Mask.
What does it mean, MIR. Ervine? It's
simple enough. AT one time, the face
OF satyr was carved as an ornament
on all the best furniture. but the ugly
fashion didn't last long. Your grand
parent, believe. has rather a good
collection of the Satyr Mask period.
Did he know about his nickname? Oh.
yes! 1t amused him."
The lawyers remarks came back to
me as took candle and went over
once more to the portrait on the wall.
The old mans face, with its malevol-
ent leer. was certainly not unlike that
of a satyr. But the fact that his nick
name had amused him showed that
at least he'd had a sense of humour.
felt wakeful and restless that
night, and slept badly. The wind
rumbled in the chimney and whipped
the branches of the pine trees beside
the house l awakened once or twice,
but it must have been about three
O'Clock when | sat up with a start. BY
this time the storm seemed to have
blown itself out. and the night was
now curiously still. But in the back
ground of my mind had the impress
sion that it was an unusual sound
which had disturbed me.
Slipping out of bed, went over to
the window. The moon was low in the
night sky. and the glen below me was
like sheet of white crumpled linen,
with suggestion of polished silver in
places where the moonlight glistened
on the snow. To the east l could see
the chimney of the little house that
belonged to the man whom Dunstan
had mentioned. l fumbled in my
memory for his name, and found it at
last - Mr.. Roger Barnett.
Since l did not feel like sleep, !
pulled on my dressing gown and lit
cigarette. But the next moment had
pitched it into the fireplace, for l
distinctly heard a noise somewhere in
the house.