bstemious drinker (to be an out and out
teetotaler would have been a little too remarkable in those regions for
a man of Mr. Rattar's conventional tastes), and indeed in all respects
he trod that sober path that leads to a semi-public funeral and a vast
block of granite in the parish kirkyard.

He had acquired his substantial villa and large garden by a very shrewd
bargain a number of years ago, and he lived there with just the decency
that his condition in life enjoined, but with not a suspicion of display
beyond it. He kept a staff of two competent and respectable girls, just
enough to run a house of that size, but only just; and when he wanted to
drive abroad he hired a conveyance exactly suitable to the occasion from
the most respectable hotel. His life, in short, was ordered to the very
best advantage possible.

Enthusiastic devotion to such an extremely exemplary gentleman was a
little difficult, but in his present housemaid, Mary MacLean, he had a
girl with a strong Highland strain of fidelity to a master, and an
instinctive devotion to his interests, even if his person was hardly the
chieftain her heart demanded. She was a soft voiced, anxious looking
young woman, almost pretty despite her nervous high strung air, and of a
quiet and modest demeanour.

Soon after her master had begun breakfast, Mary entered the dining-room
with an apologetic air, but a conscientious eye.

"Begging your pardon, sir," she began, "but I thought I ought to tell
you that when cook and me was going out to the concert last night we
thought we saw _something_ in the drive."

Mr. Rattar looked up at her sharply and fixed his cold eyes on her
steadily for a moment, never saying a word. It was exactly his ordinary
habit, and she had thought she was used to it by now, yet this morning
she felt oddly disconcerted. Then it struck her that perhaps it was the
red cut on his chin that gave her this curious feeling. Silent Simon's
hand was as steady as a rock and she never remembered his having cut
himself shaving before; certainly not as badly as this.

"Saw 'something'?" he repeated gruffly. "What do you mean?"

"It looked like a man, sir, and it seemed to move into the trees almost
as quick as we saw it!"

"Tuts!" muttered Simon.

"But there was two friends of ours meeting us in the road," she hurried
on, "and they thought they saw a man going in at the gate!"

Her master seemed a little more impressed.

"Indeed?" said he.

"So I