CHAPTER VII
Diaporesis
The discussion at dinner that evening was unexpectedly animated. We all had our theories to propound, our notes to compare and our criticisms to offer. To this I contributed my share, but reserved a conclusion to which I had been approaching all through the tale. I wished to submit it to the tests of coffee and music, to become more familiar with it before I exposed it to Bill's shrewd scrutiny and Mac's sardonic judgment.
To my surprise they insisted upon the strangeness of the story.
"To my mind," I said, "the story can scarcely be called strange, so far."
"I wonder where his brother got to after he was expelled," said Bill.
"Do you think Cecil's man is the brother?" asked Mac.
"You mean interesting," I continued.