li Tregarthen, who had loaded himself with a couple of faggots
for the kitchen fire.

"Good morning!" said the Commandant.

"Ah? Good morning to you, sir," answered Tregarthen, clearly surprised,
but showing no sign of guilt or confusion.

"You have heard the news?"

"No, sir."

"The Lord Proprietor is missing."

"Missing?" Tregarthen set down his faggots and stared at the
Commandant.

"He has been missing since yesterday at dusk. I understand that you
were in his company shortly before then, on Carn Coppa?"

"That is so, sir. I left him and Sam Leggo standing together there at
the top of the field."

"A few minutes later he sent Leggo to the farmhouse to fetch a lantern.
Leggo declares that on his way back he heard a gun fired."

Tregarthen nodded. "That's right. I heard the shot, too, and reckoned
that the man had let fly at a rabbit. He carried a gun."

"You don't speak too respectfully of the Lord Proprietor, my friend."

"I speak as I think," answered Tregarthen, his brow darkening. "He was
no friend to me or mine."

"I advise you very strongly to keep that sort of talk to yourself, at
any rate for the present. To begin with, Sir Caesar is missing, and we
have grave fear he will not be found again alive: so that it is not
seemly. But, further, I must caution you that you parted from him using
threats, and your threats have been reported."

"Turn me out of Saaron, he would--" began Tregarthen, but checked
himself at the moment when passion seemed on the point of
over-mastering him. "Well, sir, I didn't shoot him, if that's what they
are telling," he added, quietly.

"I should be sorry, indeed, to suspect any such thing. But let me tell
you the rest. Hearing the shot, Leggo made good speed back to Carn
Coppa. His master had disappeared; but away to the left, near the edge
of the cliffs, he saw three children running down the hill, and he
declares that those children were yours."

Tregarthen put up a hand and rubbed the side of his head.

"_My_ children?" he repeated. "I can't make this out at all, sir. What
could my children be doing anywhere near Carn Coppa?"

"You had best ask them."

"No," said Tregarthen, picking up his faggots, "I never brought them up
to be afraid of the truth. Come with me to the house, sir, and they
shall tell what they know."

He led the way, and the Commandant followed him indoors to the kitchen,
where they found Ruth stooping over the great hearth, already busy wi