tance he had possessed in our eyes that day.

"Do you know where your father is?"

"I think he's at Hatcham Ford, sir. Mr. Octon came across a little while
ago and asked for father, and when father came to the door he told him
to get his hat and come back to the Ford with him. I expect he's there
still."

"Thank you, Alban. I'll go and have a look."

I expected to find Powers on guard, acting scout, before the door or in
the shrubbery, and quickly crossed the road to the Ford. As I went, I
looked about for Lacey, but could see him nowhere. Either he had gone
back along the road toward Breysgate, to watch for Fillingford's
possible approach, or else he had thought he might attract attention if
he loitered in the road, and had taken refuge from observation in the
shrubberies. I passed quickly along the gravel walk, went up to the hall
door, and rang the bell.

A moment or two passed. Then Octon himself opened the door. The light of
the gas jet over the doorway was full on his face; he was very pale, and
drops of perspiration stood on his brow. But when he saw me his face lit
up with a sudden relief. "You! Thank God!" he said. "The very man we
wanted! Come inside."

"Is she here?"

"Yes."

"She mustn't stay a minute. There's danger."

"I know there is," he said grimly. "We found that out from Powers. I've
killed him, Austin, or all but. Come into the dining-room."

I followed him into the room where I had once waited while he and Jenny
talked. As we passed through the hall, I noticed a portmanteau and a bag
standing ready packed.

In the dining-room Jenny was crouching on the floor beside Powers; she
was giving him something to drink out of a wineglass. The man lay there
inert. I went up and looked at him, bending down close. There were marks
of fingers on his neck; he had been half strangled.

[Illustration: _Jenny was crouching on the floor beside Powers_]

Jenny had taken no notice when I came in. Now she looked up. "It's all
right, he's coming to," she said. "I thought he was gone, though. We
made him confess what he'd done, you know. Then he grew insolent, and
Leonard--" She turned to Octon with a smile. She seemed to say, "Well,
you can guess what Leonard would do under those circumstances!"

"You must come away from here," I said in a low urgent voice.
"Fillingford may be here at any moment. He went to Breysgate first--but
he'll come on here. He knows--and he means to find you."

"If he knows, wha