Oh , there were all sorts of yarns , mostly coming from the men who worked there , for nobody else ever got inside the house . Well , four years ago his wife disappeared -- it was n't known how or when . She just was n't ever seen again , that 's all . Whether she died or was murdered or went away nobody ever knew . There was some talk of an investigation but nothing came of it . As for the girl , she 's always lived there with her father . She must be a perfect heathen . He never goes anywhere , but there used to be talk of strangers visiting him -- queer sort of characters who came up the lake in vessels from the American side . I have n't heard any reports of such these past few years , though -- not since his wife disappeared . He keeps a yacht and goes sailing in it -- sometimes he cruises about for weeks -- that 's about all he ever does . And now you know as much about the Olivers as I do , Mr. Douglas . '' Alan had listened to this gossipy narrative with an interest that did not escape Isabel King 's observant eyes . Much of it he mentally dismissed as improbable surmise , but the basic facts were probably as Mrs. Danby had reported them . He had known that the girl of the shore could be no commonplace , primly nurtured young woman . `` Has no effort ever been made to bring these people into touch with the church ? '' he asked absently . `` Bless you , yes . Every minister that 's ever been in Rexton has had a try at it . The old cousin met every one of them at the door and told him nobody was at home . Mr. Strong was the most persistent -- he did n't like being beaten .
He went again and again and finally the Captain sent him word that when he wanted parsons or pill-dosers he 'd send XXXXX them , and till he did he 'd thank them to mind their own business .
Whether ago for from in inside like of since that