d roan we took out that
night over the mountains was the doctor's horse or not. If it was, the
doctor may be a good doctor, but he doesn't know anything about a horse.
And furthermore, I hope he didn't need the beast that miserable evening.

While they harnessed the horse, Hotchkiss told me what he had learned.

"Six Curtises in the town and vicinity," he said. "Sort of family name
around here. One of them is telegraph operator at the station. Person we
are looking for is--was--a wealthy widow with a brother named Sullivan!
Both supposed to have been killed on the Flier."

"Her brother," I repeated stupidly.

"You see," Hotchkiss went on, "three people, in one party, took the
train here that night, Miss West, Mrs. Curtis and Sullivan. The two
women had the drawing-room, Sullivan had lower seven. What we want to
find out is just who these people were, where they came from, if Bronson
knew them, and how Miss West became entangled with them. She may have
married Sullivan, for one thing."

I fell into gloom after that. The roan was led unwillingly into the
weather, Hotchkiss and I in eclipse behind the blanket. The liveryman
stood in the doorway and called directions to us. "You can't miss it,"
he finished. "Got the name over the gate anyhow, 'The Laurels.' The
servants are still there: leastways, we didn't bring them down." He even
took a step into the rain as Hotchkiss picked up the lines. "If you're
going to settle the estate," he bawled, "don't forget us, Peck and Peck.
A half-bushel of name and a bushel of service."

Hotchkiss could not drive. Born a clerk, he guided the roan much as
he would drive a bad pen. And the roan spattered through puddles and
splashed ink--mud, that is--until I was in a frenzy of irritation.

"What are we going to say when we get there?" I asked after I had
finally taken the reins in my one useful hand. "Get out there at
midnight and tell the servants we have come to ask a few questions about
the family? It's an idiotic trip anyhow; I wish I had stayed at home."

The roan fell just then, and we had to crawl out and help him up. By the
time we had partly unharnessed him our matches were gone, and the small
bicycle lamp on the buggy was wavering only too certainly. We were
covered with mud, panting with exertion, and even Hotchkiss showed a
disposition to be surly. The rain, which had lessened for a time, came
on again, the lightning flashes doing more than anything else to reveal
our is