〃I　have　heard　of　him；　of　course；〃　said　the　priest　innocently。　　〃Did　youdid　you　hit　anything？〃
  〃I　thought　so；〃　answered　Cray　with　gravity。
  〃Did　he〃　asked　Major　Putnam　in　a　lowered　voice；　〃did　he　fall　or　cry　out；　or　anything？〃
  Colonel　Cray　was　regarding　his　host　with　a　strange　and　steady　stare。　　〃I'll　tell　you　exactly　what　he　did；〃　he　said。　　〃He　sneezed。〃
  Father　Brown's　hand　went　half…way　to　his　head；　with　the　gesture　of　a　man　remembering　somebody's　name。　　He　knew　now　what　it　was　that　was　neither　soda…water　nor　the　snorting　of　a　dog。
  〃Well；〃　ejaculated　the　staring　Major；　〃I　never　heard　before　that　a　service　revolver　was　a　thing　to　be　sneezed　at。〃
  〃Nor　I；〃　said　Father　Brown　faintly。　　〃It's　lucky　you　didn't　turn　your　artillery　on　him　or　you　might　have　given　him　quite　a　bad　cold。〃　　Then；　after　a　bewildered　pause；　he　said：　　〃Was　it　a　burglar？〃
  〃Let　us　go　inside；〃　said　Major　Putnam；　rather　sharply；　and　led　the　way　into　his　house。
  The　interior　exhibited　a　paradox　often　to　be　marked　in　such　morning　hours：　　that　the　rooms　seemed　brighter　than　the　sky　outside；　even　after　the　Major　had　turned　out　the　one　gaslight　in　the　front　hall。　　Father　Brown　was　surprised　to　see　the　whole　dining…table　set　out　as　for　a　festive　meal；　with　napkins　in　their　rings；　and　wine…glasses　of　some　six　unnecessary　shapes　set　beside　every　plate。　　It　was　common　enough；　at　that　time　of　the　morning；　to　find　the　remains　of　a　banquet　over…night；　but　to　find　it　freshly　spread　so　early　was　unusual。
  While　he　stood　wavering　in　the　hall　Major　Putnam　rushed　past　him　and　sent　a　raging　eye　over　the　whole　oblong　of　the　tablecloth。　　At　last　he　spoke；　spluttering：　　〃All　the　silver　gone！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Fish…knives　and　forks　gone。　　Old　cruet…stand　gone。　　Even　the　old　silver　cream…jug　gone。　　And　now；　Father　Brown；　I　am　ready　to　answer　your　question　of　whether　it　was　a　burglar。〃
  〃They're　simply　a　blind；〃　said　Cray　stubbornly。　　〃I　know　better　than　you　why　people　persecute　this　house；　I　know　better　than　you　why〃
  The　Major　patted　him　on　the　shoulder　with　a　gesture　almost　peculiar　to　the　soothing　of　a　sick　child；　and　said：　　〃It　was　a　burglar。　　Obviously　it　was　a　burglar。〃
  〃A　burglar　with　a　bad　cold；〃　observed　Father　Brown；　〃that　might　assist　you　to　trace　him　in　the　neighbourhood。〃
  The　Major　shook　his　head　in　a　sombre　manner。　　〃He　must　be　far　beyond　trace　now；　I　fear；〃　he　said。
  Then；　as　the　restless　man　with　the　revolver　turned　again　towards　the　door　in　the　garden；　he　added　in　a　husky；　confidential　voice：　　〃I　doubt　whether　I　should　send　for　the　police；　for　fear　my　friend　here　has　been　a　little　too　free　with　his　bullets；　and　got　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　law。　　He's　lived　in　very　wild　places；　and；　to　be　frank　with　you；　I　think　he　sometimes　fancies　things。〃
  〃I　think　you　once　told　me；〃　said　Brown；　〃that　he　believes　some　Indian　secret　society　is　pursuing　him。〃
  Major　Putnam　nodded；　but　at　the　same　time　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃I　suppose　we'd　better　follow　him　outside；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　want　any　moreshall　we　say；　sneezing？〃
  They　passed　out　into　the　morning　light；　which　was　now　even　tinged　with　sunshine；　and　saw　Colonel　Cray's　tall　figure　bent　almost　double；　minutely　examining　the　condition　of　gravel　and　grass。　　While　the　Major　strolled　unobtrusively　towards　him；　the　priest　took　an　equally　indolent　turn；　which　took　him　round　the　next　corner　of　the　house　to　within　a　yard　or　two　of　the　projecting　dustbin。
  He　stood　regarding　this　dismal　object　for　some　minute　and　a　half；　then　he　stepped　towards　it；　lifted　the　lid　and　put　his　head　inside。　　Dust　and　other　discolouring　matter　shook　upwards　as　he　did　so；　but　Father　Brown　never　observed　his　own　appearance；　whatever　else　he　observed。　　He　remained　thus　for　a　measurable　period；　as　if　engaged　in　some　mysterious　prayers。　　Then　he　came　out　again；　with　some　ashes　on　his　hair；　and　walked　unconcernedly　away。
  By　the　time　he　came　round　to　the　garden　door　again　he　found　a　group　there　which　seemed　to　roll　away　morbidities　as　the　sunlight　had　already　rolled　away　the　mists。　　It　was　in　no　way　rationally　reassuring；　it　was　simply　broadly　comic；　like　a　cluster　of　Dickens's　characters。　　Major　Putnam　had　managed　to　slip　inside　and　plunge　into　a　proper　shirt　and　trousers；　with　a　crimson　cummerbund；　and　a　light　square　jacket　over　all；　thus　normally　set　off；　his　red　festive　face　seemed　bursting　with　a　commonplace　cordiality。　　He　was　indeed　emphatic；　but　then　he　was　talking　to　his　cookthe　swarthy　son　of　Malta；　whose　lean；　yellow　and　rather　careworn　face　contrasted　quaintly　with　his　snow…white　cap　and　costume。　　The　cook　might　well　be　careworn；　for　cookery　was　the　Major's　hobby。　　He　was　one　of　those　amateurs　who　always　know　more　than　the　professional。　　The　only　other　person　he　even　admitted　to　be　a　judge　of　an　omelette　was　his　friend　Crayand　as　Brown　remembered　this；　he　turned　to　look　for　the　other　officer。　　In　the　new　presence　of　daylight　and　people　clothed　and　in　their　right　mind；　the　sight　of　him　was　rather　a　shock。　　The　taller　and　more　elegant　man　was　still　in　his　night…garb；　with　tousled　black　hair；　and　now　crawling　about　the　garden　on　his　hands　and　knees；　still　looking　for　traces　of　the　burglar；　and　now　and　again；　to　all　appearance；　striking　the　ground　with　his　hand　in　anger　at　not　finding　him。　　Seeing　him　thus　quadrupedal　in　the　grass；　the　priest　raised　his　eyebrows　rather　sadly；　and　for　the　first　time　guessed　that　〃fancies　things〃　might　be　an　euphemism。
  The　third　item　in　the　group　of　the　cook　and　the　epicure　was　also　known　to　Father　Brown；　it　was　Audrey　Watson；　the　Major's　ward　and　housekeeper；　and　at　this　moment；　to　judge　by　her　apron；　tucked…up　sleeves　and　resolute　manner；　much　more　the　housekeeper　than　the　ward。
  〃It　serves　you　right；〃　she　was　saying：　　〃I　always　told　you　not　to　have　that　old…fashioned　cruet…stand。〃
  〃I　prefer　it；〃　said　Putnam；　placably。　　〃I'm　old…fashioned　myself；　and　the　things　keep　together。〃
  〃And　vanish　together；　as　you　see；〃　she　retorted。　　〃Well；　if　you　are　not　going　to　bother　about　the　burglar；　I　shouldn't　bother　about　the　lunch。　　It's　Sunday；　and　we　can't　send　for　vinegar　and　all　that　in　the　town；　and　you　Indian　gentlemen　can't　enjoy　what　you　call　a　dinner　without　a　lot　of　hot　things。　　I　wish　to　goodness　now　you　hadn't　asked　Cousin　Oliver　to　take　me　to　the　musical　service。　　It　isn't　over　till　half…past　twelve；　and　the　Colonel　has　to　leave　by　then。　　I　don't　believe　you　men　can　manage　alone。〃
  〃Oh　yes；　we　can；　my　dear；〃　said　the　Major；　looking　at　her　very　amiably。　　〃Marco　has　all　the　sauces；　and　we've　often　done　ourselves　well　in　very　rough　places；　as　you　might　know　by　now。　　And　it's　time　you　had　a　treat；　Audrey；　you　mustn't　be　a　housekeeper　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　I　know　you　want　to　hear　the　music。〃
  〃I　want　to　go　to　church；〃　she　said；　with　rather　severe　eyes。
  She　was　one　of　those　handsome　women　who　will　always　be　handsome；　because　the　beauty　is　not　in　an　air　or　a　tint；　but　in　the　very　structure　of　the　head　and　features。　　But　though　she　was　not　yet　middle…aged　and　her　auburn　hair　was　of　a　Titianesque　fullness　in　form　and　colour；　there　was　a　look　in　her　mouth　and　around　her　eyes　which　suggested　that　some　sorrows　wasted　her；　as　winds　waste　at　last　the　edges　of　a　Greek　temple。　　For　indeed　the　little　domestic　difficulty　of　which　she　was　now　speaking　so　decisively　was　rather　comic　than　tragic。　　Father　Brown　gathered；　from　the　course　of　the　conversation；　that　Cray；　the　other　gourmet；　had　to　leave　before　the　usual　lunch…time；　but　that　Putnam；　his　host；　not　to　be　done　out　of　a　final　feast　with　an　old　crony；　had　arranged　for　a　special　dejeuner　to　be　set　out　and　consumed　in　the　course　of　the　morning；　while　Audrey　and　other　graver　persons　were　at　morning　service。　　She　was　going　there　under　the　escort　of　a　relative　and　old　friend　of　hers；　Dr　Oliver　Oman；　who；　though　a　scientific　man　of　a　somewhat　bitter　type；　was　enthusiastic　for　music；　and　would　go　even　to　church　to　get　it。　　There　was　nothing　in　all　this　that　could　conceivably　concern　the　tragedy　in　Miss　Watson's　face；　and　by　a　half　conscious　instinct；　Father　Brown　turned　again　to　the　seeming　lunatic　grubbing　about　in　the　grass。
  When　he　strolled　across　to　him；　the　black；　unbrushed　head　was　lifted　abruptly；　as　if　in　some　surprise　at　his　continued　presence。　　And　indeed；　Father　Brown；　for　reasons　best　known　to　himself；　had　lingered　much　longer　than　politeness　required；　or　even；　in　the　ordinary　sense；　permitted。
  〃Well！〃　cried　Cray；　with　wild　eyes。　　〃I　suppose　you　think　I'm　mad；　like　the　rest？〃
  〃I　have　considered　the　thesis；〃　answered　the　little　man；　composedly。　　〃And　I　incline　to　think　you　are　not。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃　snapped　Cray　quite　savagely。
  〃Real　madmen；〃　explained　Father　Brown；　〃always　encourage　their　own　morbidity。　　They　never　strive　against　it。　　But　you　are　trying　to　find　traces　of　the　burglar；　even　when　there　aren't　any。　　You　are　struggling　against　it。　　You　want　what　no　madman　ever　wants。〃
  〃And　what　is　that？〃
  〃You　want　to　be　proved　wrong；〃　said　Brown。
  During　the　last　words　Cray　had　sprung　or　staggered　to　his　feet　and　was　regarding　the　cleric