Now he's saying something carefully to Feda. He says they should not go by finding a stick. He wants you to put that down—they ought not to go by finding a stick.
O. J. L.—Oh, they found a stick, did they?
Yes, that's how, yes.
[I clearly understood that this statement referred to a certain Colonel, about whom there was uncertainty for months. But a funeral service has now been held—an impressive one, which M. F. A. L. attended. On inquiry from her, I find (what I didn't know at the time of the sitting) that the evidence of his death is a riding-whip, which they found in the hands of an unrecognisable corpse. From some initials on this riding-whip, they thought it belonged to him; and on this evidence have concluded him dead. So far as I know, they entertain no doubt about it. At any rate, we have heard none expressed, either publicly or privately. Hence, the information now given may possibly turn out of interest, though there is always the possibility that, if he is a prisoner in Germany, he may not survive the treatment. He was leading an attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt when he fell; he was seen to fall, wounded; there was great slaughter, and when at night his man returned to try and find him, he could not be found. This is my recollection of the details, but of course they can be more accurately given. At what period the whip was found, I don't know, but can ascertain.] (See also p. [266].)
[No further news yet—September 1916. But I must confess that I think the information extremely unlikely.
—O. J. L.]
O. J. L.—Does he remember William, our gardener?
Yes.
Feda doesn't know what he means, but he says something about coming over. (Feda, sotto voce.—Tell Feda what you mean.)
He doesn't give it very clearly. Feda gets an idea that he means coming over there. Yes, he does mean into the spirit world. Feda asks him, did he mean soon; but he shakes his head.