Colonel Menendez sat down again, puffing furiously at his cigarette, whilst beginning to roll another. He was much disturbed, was fighting to regain mastery of himself.
"I apologize from the bottom of my heart," he said, "for a breach of good behaviour which really was unforgivable. I was angry when I should have been grateful. Much that you have said is true. Because it is true, I despise myself."
"Awake," he continued, "I care for no man breathing, black or white; but _asleep_"--he shrugged his shoulders. "It is in sleep that these dealers in unclean things obtain their advantage."
"You excite my curiosity," declared Harley.
"Listen," Colonel Menendez bent forward, resting his elbows upon his knees. Between the yellow fingers of his left hand he held the newly completed cigarette whilst he continued to puff vigorously at the old one. "You recollect my speaking of the death of a certain native girl?"
"The real cause of her death was never known, but I obtained evidence to show that on the night after the wing of a bat had been attached to her hut, she wandered out in her sleep and visited the Black Belt. Can you doubt that someone was calling her?"
"Mr. Harley, she was obeying the call of M'kombo!"
"The _call_ of M'kombo? You refer to some kind of hypnotic suggestions?"
"I illustrate," replied the Colonel, "to help to make clear something which I have to tell you. On the night when last the moon was full--on the night after someone had entered the house--I had retired early to bed. Suddenly I awoke, feeling very cold. I awoke, I say, and where do you suppose I found myself?"
"On the point of entering the Tudor garden--you call it Tudor garden?--which is visible from the window of your room!"
"Most extraordinary," murmured Harley; "and you were in your night attire?"
"An accident. I believe a lucky accident. I had cut my bare foot upon the gravel and the pain awakened me."
"You had no recollection of any dream which had prompted you to go down into the garden?"
"It does not. It faces the lake on the south of the house. I had descended to a side door, unbarred it, and walked entirely around the east wing before I awakened."
"Your room faces the lake," murmured Harley.
Their glances met, and in Paul Harley's expression there seemed to be a challenge.