Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/73

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THE PHOTOGRAPHS
49

"Evan — Evan Bradell, isn't it? Is this the man?"

"That, major, you should know better than I. You may have seen him, I haven't. But that appears to be his name — of which fact I was unaware until you mentioned it. If that is a likeness of the man Bradell, I think, major, that even you will allow that the thing is curious, because that happens to be a print from one of the negatives which we sent to the Commissioners, and which was taken from the man George Solly."

The major glared.

"You're at that cock-and-bull story again; in this age of enlightenment, and you a medical man, sir, I'm surprised at you, I really am! I don't want to discuss the matter; the Office is willing to consider the incident as closed, and I may say that I'm instructed not to discuss the matter. A pretty thing it would be if it got about in the papers! 'Ghost at Canterstone Jail!' Upon my word! There'd be a scandal! I shouldn't be surprised if the Commissioners felt themselves impelled to institute changes; changes, sir! To — to — to return to this man Solly, and the man, eh, what's his name? Bradell! It — it appears that this man Bradell tells a cock-and-bull story——"

"Another cock-and-bull story, major?"

"Yes, sir, another cock-and-bull story; there are always plenty of them in the air, as you will learn for yourself when you reach my age. As I was saying when I was interrupted, it appears that this man Bradell tells a cock-and-bull story about being haunted, and even persecuted by this man Solly's wife, in dreams, and that sort of rubbish, until she