othehousewasoveradrawbridge,thechainsandwindlassofwhichhadlongbeenrustedandbroken.ThelatesttenantsoftheManorHousehad,however,withcharacteristicenergy,setthisright,andthedrawbridgewasnotonlycapableofbeingraised,butactuallywasraisedeveryeveningandloweredeverymorning.BythusrenewingthecustomoftheoldfeudaldaystheManorHousewasconvertedintoanislandduringthenight—afactwhichhadaverydirectbearinguponthemysterywhichwassoontoengagetheattentionofallEngland.
ThehousehadbeenuntenantedforsomeyearsandwasthreateningtomoulderintoapicturesquedecaywhentheDouglasestookpossessionofit.Thisfamilyconsistedofonlytwoindividuals—JohnDouglasandhiswife.Douglaswasaremarkableman,bothincharacterandinperson.Inagehemayhavebeenaboutfifty,withastrong-jawed,ruggedface,agrizzlingmoustache,peculiarlykeengrayeyes,andawiry,vigorousfigurewhichhadlostnothingofthestrengthandactivityofyouth.Hewascheeryandgenialtoall,butsomewhatoffhandinhismanners,givingtheimpressionthathehadseenlifeinsocialstrataonsomefarlowerhorizonthanthecountysocietyofSussex.
Yet,thoughlookedatwithsomecuriosityandreservebyhismorecultivatedneighbours,hesoonacquiredagreatpopularityamongthevillagers,subscribinghandsomelytoalllocalobjects,andattendingtheirsmokingconcertsandotherfunctions,where,havingaremarkablyrichtenorvoice,hewasalwaysreadytoobligewithanexcellentsong.Heappearedtohaveplentyofmoney,whichwassaidtohavebeengainedintheCaliforniagoldfields,anditwasclearfromhisowntalkandthatofhiswifethathehadspentapartofhislifeinAmerica.
Thegoodimpressionwhichhadbeenproducedbyhisgenerosityandbyhisdemocraticmannerswasincreasedbyareputationgainedforutterindifferencetodanger.Thoughawretchedrider,heturnedoutateverymeet,andtookthemostamazingfallsinhisdeterminationtoholdhisownwiththebest.Whenthevicaragecaughtfirehedistinguishedhimselfalsobythefearlessnesswithwhichhereenteredthebuildingtosaveproperty,afterthelocalfirebrigadehadgivenitupasimpossible.ThusitcameaboutthatJohnDouglasofth