"I

am afraid I don't understand" said Jane, "I've been here all along" and Whitlander snickered quietly behind her.

"I know who you are, don't pretend otherwise."

"Yes, I believe Oliver introduced me to y--

"Be still, accursed creature" said Betsy "I knew you would find a diabolical way to try to hurt me. But to bring him into it yet again."

"Betsy!" I cried, "this is inexcusable, to speak to your guest that way."

"Do you still wear the periapt? The chain I gave you?"

"I have it on. But what has that got to do with anything?"

"She is not who she appears, Oliver. That sweet young lady is merely an illusion - for in truth she is the Serpens Regina Abyssum and your very soul is in peril to spend so much time in her company!"

Jane and Whitlander exchanged glances - no doubt they thought that Betsy was quite out of her wits. That is certainly what I believed.

"Shall I call a doctor, Betsy?" said I "surely these ghastly words you have uttered are the result of some kind of stroke. Perhaps you are suffering from exhaustion."

"I will explain this to you later, Oliver" she replied.

The greenhouse was beginning to fill up with the scent of the liquid boiling in the fireplace. It was quite a pleasant scent, an herbal infusion-type aroma. Betsy was fanning the odor towards us with a small Oriental fan. Jane coughed a little although there was no visible smoke.

"Do what you like later, Betsy, but for now you must apologize to this poor young lady. Otherwise we shall quit the premises immediately."

"Oh I have no doubt but that Lady Jane will soon quit this green-house with all speed and very soon, but not for want of apology," said Betsy, and she put her face close to the liquid and breathed deeply, then straightened up and bent backwards. She held her arms out and it seemed as though fireflies were about her fingertips for a moment, then gone. As she exhaled she said strange words which I took to be Latin. I have written them here as they sounded to me:

Ergo drako maladicta
Et omnees lejio diabolica
Cessa deciperea humanis creaturis
Esqua aterna perditionis venenum propinareh

Based on my own knowledge of Latin, and if Mr. Acton's memory serves, my belief is that Mrs. Corning was attempting to perform a type of exorcism.

(To be continue...)