inly
don't see why he should be inconvenienced and kept out of his bed by that
swanker, who has probably gone off with some pal and hasn't had the
decency to leave word to that effect. Bad style of man altogether. Hullo!
What's this?"

"What's the matter?"

Gifford crossed to Kelson, who was looking at his shirt-cuff.

"What's this?"

A dark red streak was on the white linen.

"Hanged if it doesn't look like blood," Kelson said, holding it to
the light.

Gifford caught his arm and scrutinized the stain.

"It is blood," he said positively.

CHAPTER IV

THE MISSING GUEST

Next morning Captain Kelson took his guest for a long drive round the
neighbourhood. Before starting he asked the landlord at what time Henshaw
had returned.

"He didn't come in at all, captain," Dipper answered in an aggrieved
tone. "His fire was kept up all night for nothing."

"I suppose he has been here this morning," Kelson observed casually.

"No," was the prompt reply. "Nothing has been seen or heard of him here
since he left last night for the ball."

Kelson whistled. "That looks rather queer, doesn't it, Hugh?"

Gifford nodded. "Very, I should say. What do you make of it?" he asked
the landlord.

That worthy spread out his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "It's
beyond me, gentlemen. We can none of us make it out. I've never known
anything quite like it happen all the years I've been in the business."

"Oh, you'll have an explanation in the course of the morning all right,"
said Kelson with a smile at the host's worry. "Don't take it too
seriously; it isn't worth it. You've got Mr. Henshaw's luggage, which
indemnifies you, and he is manifestly a person quite capable of taking
care of himself."

Mr. Dipper gave a doubtful jerk of the head. "It is very mysterious all
the same."

Kelson laughed as he went off with his friend.

"I'm afraid I can't get up much interest in the doings of the
objectionable Henshaw," he remarked lightly as they started off. "Such
men as he know what they are about, and are not too punctilious with
regard to other people's inconvenience."

"No," Gifford responded quietly. "All the same, his non-appearance is a
little mysterious."

Kelson blew away the suggestion of mystery in a short,
contemptuous laugh.

"Oh, he is probably up to some devilry with some fool of a girl," he
said in an offhand tone. "I know the type of man. They have a keen scent
for impressionable women, of whom a