him carried to my own bedchamber and double-locked all
the windows and doors. I said to myself that nothing could get
to him then; but--it did, just the same! In the middle of the night
he woke up screaming and crying out that some one had come and
stuck a long needle in his neck, and then for the first time--God!
I nearly went off my head when I saw it--for the first time, Mr.
Cleek, there was a mark upon him--three red raw little spots just
over the collarbone on the left side of the neck, as if a bird
had pecked him."

"Hum-m-m! And all the windows closed, you say?"

"All but one--the window of my dressing-room--but as that is barred
so that nobody could possibly get in, I thought it did not matter,
and so left it partly open for the sake of air."

"I see," said Cleek. "I see! Hum-m-m! A fortnight without any outward
sign and then of a sudden three small raw spots! Indented in the
centre are they, and much inflamed about the edges? Thanks! Quite
so, quite so! And the doors locked and all the windows but one
closed and secured on the inside, so that no human body----What's
that? Take the case? Certainly I will, Mr. Carruthers. You are
entertaining a house party at present, I hear. Now if you can make
it convenient to put me up in the Priory for a night or two, and
will inform your guests that an old 'Varsity friend named--er--let's
see! Oh, ah! Deland, that will do as well as any--Lieutenant Arthur
Deland, home on leave from India--if you will inform your guests that
that friend will join the house party to-morrow afternoon, I'll be
with you in time for lunch, and will bring my man servant with me."

"Thank you! thank you!" said the Honourable Felix, wringing his
hand. "I'll do exactly as you suggest, Mr. Cleek, and rooms shall be
ready for you when you arrive."

And the matter being thus arranged, the Honourable Felix took his
departure; and Cleek, calling the landlady to furnish him with pen,
ink, and paper, sat down then and there to write a private note to
Lady Essington, telling her to look out for Mr. George Headland to
put in an appearance at the Priory in three days' time.

* * * * *

It was exactly half-past one o'clock when Lieutenant Arthur Deland, a
big, handsome, fair-haired, fair-moustached fellow, with the stamp
of the Army all over him, turned up at Boskydell Priory with an
undersized Indian servant and an oversized kit and was presented to
his hostes