st eleven--took him up in Palace Yard at the usual spot, just as
the clock was striking. 'Mountain,' he says, 'I want you to drive round to
the estate office--I want to call there.' So I drove there--that's in
Kensington, as you know, sir. When he got out he says, 'Mountain,' he
says, 'I shall be three-quarters of an hour or so here--wrap the mare up
and walk her about,' he says. I did as he said, but he was more than
three-quarters--it was like an hour. Then at last he came back to the
brougham, just said one word, 'Home!' and I drove him here, and the clocks
were striking one when he got out. He said 'Good night,' and I saw him
walk up the steps and put his key in the latch as I drove off to our
stables. And that's all I know about it."

Selwood turned to the butler.

"I suppose no one was up at that time?" he inquired.

"Nobody, sir," answered Kitteridge. "There never is. Mr. Herapath, as
you've no doubt observed, is a bit strict in the matter of rules, and
it's one of his rules that everybody in the house must be in bed by
eleven-thirty. No one was ever to sit up for him on any occasion. That's
why this supper-tray was always left ready. His usual time for coming in
when he'd been at the House was twelve o'clock."

"Everybody in the house might be in bed," observed Selwood, "but not
everybody might be asleep. Have you made any inquiry as to whether
anybody heard Mr. Herapath moving about in the night, or leaving the
house? Somebody may have heard the hall door opened and closed, you
know."

"I'll make inquiry as to that, sir," responded Kitteridge, "but I've
heard nothing of the sort so far, and all the servants are aware by now
that Mr. Herapath isn't in the house. If anybody had heard anything----"

Before the butler could say more the study door opened and a girl came
into the room. At sight of her Selwood spoke hurriedly to Kitteridge.

"Have you told Miss Wynne?" he whispered. "Does she know?"

"She may have heard from her maid, sir," replied Kitteridge in low
tones. "Of course they're all talking of it. I was going to ask to see
Miss Wynne as soon as she was dressed."

By that time the girl had advanced towards the three men, and Selwood
stepped forward to meet her. He knew her as Herapath's niece, the
daughter of a dead sister of whom Herapath had been very fond; he knew,
too, that Herapath had brought her up from infancy and treated her as a
daughter. She was at this time a young woman of twenty-one