hang his
inquiries and develop further information, so the chaplain, after
meditating over his five-o'clock cup of tea, took his way to the
Eastgate, in order to put Gabriel unawares into the witness-box. Yet,
for all these doings and suspicions Cargrim had no very good reason,
save his own desire to get Dr Pendle under his thumb. He was groping in
the dark, he had not a shred of evidence to suppose that the uneasiness
of the bishop was connected with anything criminal; nevertheless, the
chaplain put himself so far out of his usual habits as to venture into
the unsavoury neighbourhood wherein stood The Derby Winner. Truly this
man's cobweb spinning was of a very dangerous character when he took so
much trouble to weave the web.

As in Excelsior, the shades of night were falling fast, when Cargrim
found himself at the door of the curate's lodging. Here he met with a
check, for Gabriel's landlady informed him that Mr Pendle was not at
home, and she did not know where he was or when he would be back.
Cargrim made the sweetest excuses for troubling the good lady, left a
message that he would call again, and returned along Monk Street on his
way back to the palace through the new town. By going in this direction
he passed The Derby Winner--not without intention--for it was this young
man's belief that Gabriel might be haunting the public-house to see Mrs
Mosk or--as was more probable to the malignant chaplain--her handsome
daughter.

As he came abreast of The Derby Winner it was not too dark but that he
could see a tall man standing in the doorway. Cargrim at first fancied
that this might be Gabriel, and paced slowly along so as to seize an
opportunity of addressing him. But when he came almost within touching
distance, he found himself face to face with a dark-looking gipsy,
fiery-eyed and dangerous in appearance. He had a lean, cruel face, a
hawk's beak for a nose, and black, black hair streaked with grey; but
what mostly attracted Cargrim's attention was a red streak which
traversed the right cheek of the man from ear to mouth. At once he
recalled John's description--'A military-looking gentleman with a scar
on the right cheek.' He thought, 'Hum! this, then, is the bishop's
visitor.'

CHAPTER VI

THE MAN WITH THE SCAR

This engaging individual looked at Cargrim with a fierce air. He was not
sober, and had just reached the quarrelsome stage of intoxication, which
means objection to everyone and everything.