"Luke, I say! Luke!"

But the quick distress of the words was checked by the gentle restraint
of Lucas's hand. "I know! I know! But we've all got to die sooner or
later, and one doesn't want to tear a larger hole than one need. That's
all right, Bertie boy. We'll shunt the subject. Only, if you want to
please me, get that nice little girl to marry you soon. Now what was it
you wanted to say? Something about Nap?"

"Yes. How did you know? It's an infernal shame to worry you when you're
not fit for it. But the mother and I both think you ought to know."

"Go ahead, dear fellow! I'm tougher than you think. What has
become of Nap?"

"That's just the question. You know he went off in the car with Lady
Carfax yesterday morning?"

"I didn't know," murmured Lucas. "That's a detail. Go on."

"Late last night the car had not returned, and the mother began to
wonder. Of course if Lady Carfax hadn't been there it wouldn't have
mattered much, but as it was we got anxious, and in the end I posted off
to the Manor to know if she had arrived. She had not. But while I was
there a wire came for the butler from a place called Bramhurst, which is
about fifty miles away, to say that the car had broken down and they
couldn't return before to-day. Well, that looked to me deuced queer. I'm
convinced that Nap is up to some devilry. What on earth induced her to
go there with him anyway? The mother was real bothered about it, and so
was I. We couldn't rest, either of us. And in the end she ordered the big
Daimler and went off to Bramhurst herself. I wanted to go with her, but
she wouldn't have me at any price. You know the mother. So I stopped to
look after things here. Everyone cleared off this morning, thank the
gods. I don't think anyone smelt a rat. I told them the mother had gone
to nurse a sick friend, and it seemed to go down all right."

Lucas had listened to the recital with closed eyes and a perfectly
expressionless face. He did not speak for a few moments when Bertie
ended. At length, "And the mother is not back yet?" he asked.

"No. But I'm not afraid for her. She knows how to hold her own."

"That's so," Lucas conceded; and fell silent again.

He was frowning a little as if in contemplation of some difficulty, but
his composure was absolute.

"There may be nothing in it," he said at last.

Bertie grunted. "I knew he was in a wild beast mood before they started.
He nearly rode the black mare to death in the early morni