"He gave no explanation?"
"No! He saw no one, but shut himself up like a hermit. Frisco attended to the house, and cooked the Colonel's meals. But I think Carr often cooked for himself. He was fond of cooking. For eight years he never went outside that house."
"Humph! That accounts for the gymnasium, the bowling alley, and the shooting gallery. What about his business?"
"He did it all my means of letter. Frith and Frith sent down a clerk occasionally. Carr was a clever man of business, and invested his money in good securities. So my mother said. She used to beard him in his den."
"And the clergyman, Corn?"
"Yes! He called also to try and reform the Colonel, but he did not succeed. A good fellow Corn, but weak. Can hold his tongue though."
"On the contrary he talked a good deal to me."
"So you said," muttered Stephen. "I wonder what he meant by that?"
"Did he know the secret of Carr's life?"
"Not that I know of. Corn always kept his mouth shut as I said. Why he should have talked openly to you I can't say?"