were　set　down　and　the　last　of　the　servants　vanished。　　Then　he　said；　without　altering　his　tone。
  〃Please　don't　think　me　impertinent；　Admiral　Pendragon。　　I　don't　ask　for　curiosity；　but　really　for　my　guidance　and　your　convenience。　　Have　I　made　a　bad　shot　if　I　guess　you　don't　want　these　old　things　talked　of　before　your　butler？〃
  The　Admiral　lifted　the　hairless　arches　over　his　eyes　and　exclaimed：　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　where　you　got　it；　but　the　truth　is　I　can't　stand　the　fellow；　though　I've　no　excuse　for　discharging　a　family　servant。　　Fanshaw；　with　his　fairy　tales；　would　say　my　blood　moved　against　men　with　that　black；　Spanish…looking　hair。〃
  Flambeau　struck　the　table　with　his　heavy　fist。　　〃By　Jove！〃　he　cried；　〃and　so　had　that　girl！〃
  〃I　hope　it'll　all　end　tonight；〃　continued　the　Admiral；　〃when　my　nephew　comes　back　safe　from　his　ship。　　You　looked　surprised。　　You　won't　understand；　I　suppose；　unless　I　tell　you　the　story。　　You　see；　my　father　had　two　sons；　I　remained　a　bachelor；　but　my　elder　brother　married；　and　had　a　son　who　became　a　sailor　like　all　the　rest　of　us；　and　will　inherit　the　proper　estate。　　Well；　my　father　was　a　strange　man；　he　somehow　combined　Fanshaw's　superstition　with　a　good　deal　of　my　scepticismthey　were　always　fighting　in　him；　and　after　my　first　voyages；　he　developed　a　notion　which　he　thought　somehow　would　settle　finally　whether　the　curse　was　truth　or　trash。　　If　all　the　Pendragons　sailed　about　anyhow；　he　thought　there　would　be　too　much　chance　of　natural　catastrophes　to　prove　anything。　　But　if　we　went　to　sea　one　at　a　time　in　strict　order　of　succession　to　the　property；　he　thought　it　might　show　whether　any　connected　fate　followed　the　family　as　a　family。　　It　was　a　silly　notion；　I　think；　and　I　quarrelled　with　my　father　pretty　heartily；　for　I　was　an　ambitious　man　and　was　left　to　the　last；　coming；　by　succession；　after　my　own　nephew。〃
  〃And　your　father　and　brother；〃　said　the　priest；　very　gently；　〃died　at　sea；　I　fear。〃
  〃Yes；〃　groaned　the　Admiral；　〃by　one　of　those　brutal　accidents　on　which　are　built　all　the　lying　mythologies　of　mankind；　they　were　both　shipwrecked。　　My　father；　coming　up　this　coast　out　of　the　Atlantic；　was　washed　up　on　these　Cornish　rocks。　　My　brother's　ship　was　sunk；　no　one　knows　where；　on　the　voyage　home　from　Tasmania。　　His　body　was　never　found。　　I　tell　you　it　was　from　perfectly　natural　mishap；　lots　of　other　people　besides　Pendragons　were　drowned；　and　both　disasters　are　discussed　in　a　normal　way　by　navigators。　　But；　of　course；　it　set　this　forest　of　superstition　on　fire；　and　men　saw　the　flaming　tower　everywhere。　　That's　why　I　say　it　will　be　all　right　when　Walter　returns。　　The　girl　he's　engaged　to　was　coming　today；　but　I　was　so　afraid　of　some　chance　delay　frightening　her　that　I　wired　her　not　to　come　till　she　heard　from　me。　　But　he's　practically　sure　to　be　here　some　time　tonight；　and　then　it'll　all　end　in　smoke　tobacco　smoke。　　We'll　crack　that　old　lie　when　we　crack　a　bottle　of　this　wine。〃
  〃Very　good　wine；〃　said　Father　Brown；　gravely　lifting　his　glass；　〃but；　as　you　see；　a　very　bad　wine…bibber。　　I　most　sincerely　beg　your　pardon〃：　　for　he　had　spilt　a　small　spot　of　wine　on　the　table…cloth。　　He　drank　and　put　down　the　glass　with　a　composed　face；　but　his　hand　had　started　at　the　exact　moment　when　he　became　conscious　of　a　face　looking　in　through　the　garden　window　just　behind　the　Admiral　the　face　of　a　woman；　swarthy；　with　southern　hair　and　eyes；　and　young；　but　like　a　mask　of　tragedy。
  After　a　pause　the　priest　spoke　again　in　his　mild　manner。　　〃Admiral；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　do　me　a　favour？　　Let　me；　and　my　friends　if　they　like；　stop　in　that　tower　of　yours　just　for　tonight？　Do　you　know　that　in　my　business　you're　an　exorcist　almost　before　anything　else？〃
  Pendragon　sprang　to　his　feet　and　paced　swiftly　to　and　fro　across　the　window；　from　which　the　face　had　instantly　vanished。　　〃I　tell　you　there　is　nothing　in　it；〃　he　cried；　with　ringing　violence。　　〃There　is　one　thing　I　know　about　this　matter。　　You　may　call　me　an　atheist。　　I　am　an　atheist。〃　　Here　he　swung　round　and　fixed　Father　Brown　with　a　face　of　frightful　concentration。　　〃This　business　is　perfectly　natural。　　There　is　no　curse　in　it　at　all。〃
  Father　Brown　smiled。　　〃In　that　case；〃　he　said；　〃there　can't　be　any　objection　to　my　sleeping　in　your　delightful　summer…house。〃
  〃The　idea　is　utterly　ridiculous；〃　replied　the　Admiral；　beating　a　tattoo　on　the　back　of　his　chair。
  〃Please　forgive　me　for　everything；〃　said　Brown　in　his　most　sympathetic　tone；　〃including　spilling　the　wine。　　But　it　seems　to　me　you　are　not　quite　so　easy　about　the　flaming　tower　as　you　try　to　be。〃
  Admiral　Pendragon　sat　down　again　as　abruptly　as　he　had　risen；　but　he　sat　quite　still；　and　when　he　spoke　again　it　was　in　a　lower　voice。　　〃You　do　it　at　your　own　peril；〃　he　said；　〃but　wouldn't　you　be　an　atheist　to　keep　sane　in　all　this　devilry？〃
  Some　three　hours　afterwards　Fanshaw；　Flambeau　and　the　priest　were　still　dawdling　about　the　garden　in　the　dark；　and　it　began　to　dawn　on　the　other　two　that　Father　Brown　had　no　intention　of　going　to　bed　either　in　the　tower　or　the　house。
  〃I　think　the　lawn　wants　weeding；〃　said　he　dreamily。　　〃If　I　could　find　a　spud　or　something　I'd　do　it　myself。〃
  They　followed　him；　laughing　and　half　remonstrating；　but　he　replied　with　the　utmost　solemnity；　explaining　to　them；　in　a　maddening　little　sermon；　that　one　can　always　find　some　small　occupation　that　is　helpful　to　others。　　He　did　not　find　a　spud；　but　he　found　an　old　broom　made　of　twigs；　with　which　he　began　energetically　to　brush　the　fallen　leaves　off　the　grass。
  〃Always　some　little　thing　to　be　done；〃　he　said　with　idiotic　cheerfulness；　〃as　George　Herbert　says：　　‘Who　sweeps　an　Admiral's　garden　in　Cornwall　as　for　Thy　laws　makes　that　and　the　action　fine。'　And　now；〃　he　added；　suddenly　slinging　the　broom　away；　〃Let's　go　and　water　the　flowers。〃
  With　the　same　mixed　emotions　they　watched　him　uncoil　some　considerable　lengths　of　the　large　garden　hose；　saying　with　an　air　of　wistful　discrimination：　　〃The　red　tulips　before　the　yellow；　I　think。　　Look　a　bit　dry；　don't　you　think？〃
  He　turned　the　little　tap　on　the　instrument；　and　the　water　shot　out　straight　and　solid　as　a　long　rod　of　steel。
  〃Look　out；　Samson；〃　cried　Flambeau；　〃why；　you've　cut　off　the　tulip's　head。〃
  Father　Brown　stood　ruefully　contemplating　the　decapitated　plant。
  〃Mine　does　seem　to　be　a　rather　kill　or　cure　sort　of　watering；〃　he　admitted；　scratching　his　head。　　〃I　suppose　it's　a　pity　I　didn't　find　the　spud。　　You　should　have　seen　me　with　the　spud！　　Talking　of　tools；　you've　got　that　swordstick；　Flambeau；　you　always　carry？　　That's　right；　and　Sir　Cecil　could　have　that　sword　the　Admiral　threw　away　by　the　fence　here。　　How　grey　everything　looks！〃
  〃The　mist's　rising　from　the　river；〃　said　the　staring　Flambeau。
  Almost　as　he　spoke　the　huge　figure　of　the　hairy　gardener　appeared　on　a　higher　ridge　of　the　trenched　and　terraced　lawn；　hailing　them　with　a　brandished　rake　and　a　horribly　bellowing　voice。　　〃Put　down　that　hose；〃　he　shouted；　〃put　down　that　hose　and　go　to　your〃
  〃I　am　fearfully　clumsy；〃　replied　the　reverend　gentleman　weakly；　〃do　you　know；　I　upset　some　wine　at　dinner。〃　He　made　a　wavering　half…turn　of　apology　towards　the　gardener；　with　the　hose　still　spouting　in　his　hand。　　The　gardener　caught　the　cold　crash　of　the　water　full　in　his　face　like　the　crash　of　a　cannon…ball；　staggered；　slipped　and　went　sprawling　with　his　boots　in　the　air。
  〃How　very　dreadful！〃　said　Father　Brown；　looking　round　in　a　sort　of　wonder。　　〃Why；　I've　hit　a　man！〃
  He　stood　with　his　head　forward　for　a　moment　as　if　looking　or　listening；　and　then　set　off　at　a　trot　towards　the　tower；　still　trailing　the　hose　behind　him。　　The　tower　was　quite　close；　but　its　outline　was　curiously　dim。
  〃Your　river　mist；〃　he　said；　〃has　a　rum　smell。〃
  〃By　the　Lord　it　has；〃　cried　Fanshaw；　who　was　very　white。　　〃But　you　can't　mean〃
  〃I　mean；〃　said　Father　Brown；　〃that　one　of　the　Admiral's　scientific　predictions　is　coming　true　tonight。　　This　story　is　going　to　end　in　smoke。〃
  As　he　spoke　a　most　beautiful　rose…red　light　seemed　to　burst　into　blossom　like　a　gigantic　rose；　but　accompanied　with　a　crackling　and　rattling　noise　that　was　like　the　laughter　of　devils。
  〃My　God！　what　is　this？〃　cried　Sir　Cecil　Fanshaw。
  〃The　sign　of　the　flaming　tower；〃　said　Father　Brown；　and　sent　the　driving　water　from　his　hose　into　the　heart　of　the　red　patch。
  〃Lucky　we　hadn't　gone　to　bed！〃　ejaculated　Fanshaw。　　〃I　suppose　it　can't　spread　to　the　house。〃
  〃You　may　remember；〃　said　the　priest　quietly；　〃that　the　wooden　fence　that　might　have　carried　it　was　cut　away。〃
  Flambeau　turned　electrified　eyes　upon　his　friend；　but　Fanshaw　only　said　rather　absently：　　〃Well；　nobody　can　be　killed；　anyhow。〃
  〃This　is　rather　a　curious　kind　of　tower；〃　observed　Father　Brown；　〃when　it　takes　to　killing　people；　it　always　kills　people　who　are　somewhere　else。〃
  At　the　same　instant　the　monstrous　figure　of　the　gardener　with　the　streaming　beard　stood　again　on　the　green　ridge　against　the　sky；　waving　others　to　come　on；　but　now　waving　not　a　rake　but　a　cutlass。　　Behind　him　came　the　two　negro