th fear and rage combined,
and vainly striving to imagine who his visitor might be. At last
he sat down to his desk and began to write rapidly, muttering to
himself,--

"I half believe--only that he's too young--that he is some hound
over here trying to scent out the whole thing. But," he added, with
an oath, "whoever he is, if he crosses my track he'll be likely to
follow Hugh Mainwaring before long, that's all!"

CHAPTER XII

X-RAYS

On the morning following Scott's interview with Hobson, he awoke at
an early hour, vaguely conscious of some disturbing influence,
though unable to tell what had awakened him. He lay for a moment
recalling the events of the preceding day, then suddenly remembered
that this was the day fixed for the funeral of Hugh Mainwaring.
None of the servants were astir about the house, but Scott soon
became conscious of the sound of stealthy movements and subdued
voices coming through the open window, and, rising, he looked out.
At first he could see nothing unusual. It was just sunrise, and the
river, at a little distance shimmering in the golden light, held
him entranced by its beauty. Then a slight rustling in the
shrubbery near the lake attracted his attention. The golden shafts
of sunlight had not yet reached that small body of water, and it
lay smooth and unbroken as the surface of a mirror, so clear at
that hour that one could easily look into its depths. Suddenly a
light boat shot out from the side nearest the grove, breaking the
smooth surface into a thousand rippling waves of light. In the boat
were two men, one of whom Scott instantly recognized as the
detective; the other, who was rowing and had his back towards the
house, seemed to be a stranger. Some one concealed in the shrubbery
called to the boatmen, whereupon they rowed across in that direction,
stopping a few yards from shore. Here they rested a few moments
till the surface was again smooth, when, both men having carefully
peered into the depths of the little lake, the detective proceeded
to let down a drag into the water.

"By George!" Scott ejaculated, "the sly old fox is improving the
opportunity, while every one is asleep, to drag the lake in search
of whatever the coachman threw in there. All right, my dear sir,
go ahead! But I'm somewhat interested in this affair myself, and
I don't intend that you shall monopolize all the facts in the case."

Keeping an eye on the boat, he dressed quickly and, le