he guests, ready dressed, were assembling prior to
dinner.

I was welcomed warmly, as I was always by the men of the party, who
seeing my muddy plight at once offered me a glass of the sportsman's
drink in Scotland, and while I was adding soda to it Leithcourt himself
joined his guests, ready dressed in his dinner jacket, having just
descended from his room.

"Hulloa, Gregg!" he exclaimed heartily, holding out his hand. "Had a
long day of it, evidently. Good sport with Carmichael--eh?"

"Very fair," I said. "I remained longer with him than I ought to have
done, and have got belated on my way home, so looked in for a
refresher."

"Quite right," he laughed merrily. "You're always welcome, you know. I'd
have been annoyed if I knew you had passed without coming in."

And Muriel, a pretty figure in a low-cut gown of turquoise chiffon,
standing behind her father, smiled secretly at me. I smiled at her in
return, but it was a strange smile, I fear, for with the knowledge of
that additional mystery within me--the mystery of the woman lying
unconscious or perhaps dead, up in the wood--held me stupefied.

I had suspected Leithcourt because of his constant trysts at that spot,
but I had at least proved that my suspicions were entirely without
foundation. He could not have got home and dressed in the time, for I
had taken the nearest route to the castle while the fugitive would be
compelled to make a wide detour.

I only remained a few minutes, then went forth into the darkness again,
utterly undecided how to act. My first impulse was to return to the
woman's aid, for she might not be dead after all.

And yet when I recollected that hoarse cry that rang out in the
darkness, I knew too well that she had been struck fatally. It was this
latter conviction that prevented me from turning back to the wood. You
will perhaps blame me, but the fact is I feared that if I went there
suspicion might fall upon me, now that the real culprit had so
ingeniously escaped.

If the victim were dead, what aid could I render? A knife had, I
believed, been used, for my foot caught against it when I had started
off after the fugitive. The only doubt in my own mind was whether the
unfortunate woman was actually dead, for if she were not then my
disinclination to return to the scene of the tragedy was culpable.

Whether or not I acted rightly in remaining away from the place, I leave
it to you to judge in the light of the amazing truth which aft