nce
or twice, as granite for it comes from the quarry at Merivale. He
knew Mr. Pendean and Captain Redmayne by sight and, last night,
somewhere about ten o'clock by summer time, while it was still
light, he saw the captain leave and pass the cottages. Bassett was
smoking at his door at the time and Robert Redmayne came alone,
pushing his motor bicycle till he reached the road. And behind the
saddle he had a big sack fastened to the machine.

"Bassett wished him 'good night' and he returned the compliment;
and half a mile down the by-road, Ringrose also passed him. He was
now on his machine and riding slowly till he reached the main road.
He reached it and then Ringrose heard him open out and get up speed.
He proceeded up the hill and the water bailiff supposed that he was
going back to Princetown."

Inspector Halfyard stopped.

"And that is all you know?" asked Brendon.

"As to Captain Redmayne's movements--yes," answered the elder.
"There will probably be information awaiting us when we return to
Princetown, as inquiries are afoot along both roads--to Moreton and
Exeter on the one side and by Dartmeet to Ashburton and the coast
towns on the other. He must have gone off to the moor by one of
those ways, I judge; and if he didn't, then he turned in his tracks
and got either to Plymouth, or away to the north. We can't fail to
pick up his line pretty quickly. He's a noticeable man."

"Did Ringrose also report the sack behind the motor bicycle?"

"He did."

"Before you mentioned it?"

"Yes, he volunteered that item, just as Bassett had done."

"Let me see what's to be seen here, then," said Brendon, and they
entered the kitchen of the bungalow together.

CHAPTER III

THE MYSTERY

Brendon followed Halfyard into the apartment destined to be the
kitchen of Michael Pendean's bungalow, and the inspector lifted some
tarpaulins that had been thrown upon a corner of the room. In the
midst stood a carpenter's bench, and the floor, the boards of which
had already been laid, was littered with shavings and tools. Under
the tarpaulin a great red stain soaked to the walls, where much
blood had flowed. It was still wet in places and upon it lay
shavings partially ensanguined. At the edge of the central stain
were smears and, among them, half the impress of a big, nail-studded
boot.

"Have the workmen been in here this morning?" asked Brendon, and
Inspector Halfyard answered that they had not.

"Two constables