There seemed to his mind something almost fishy about it all.
What then were these "Frozen Flames"? What secret did they hide? And what
malignant power dwelt behind the screen of their mystery?
CHAPTER IV
AN EVIL GENIUS
Thus, despite the bad beginning at Merriton Towers the weeks that
followed were filled with happiness for Merriton. His acquaintance with
'Toinette flourished and that charming young woman grew to mean more and
more to the man who had led such a lonely life.
And so one day wove itself into another with the joy of sunlight over
both their lives. He took to going regularly to Withersby Hall, and
became an expected guest, dropping in at all hours to wile away an hour
or two in 'Toinette's company, or else to have a quiet game of billiards
with Brellier, or a cigar in company with both of them, in the garden,
while the sun was still up. He never mentioned the flames to them again.
But he never investigated them either. He had promised 'Toinette that,
though he often watched them from his bedroom window, at night, watched
them and wondered, and thought a good deal about Borkins and how he had
lied to him about his uncle's disappearance upon that first night.
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