em. Yesterday at the inquest the identity of the murdered man was
strictly preserved, and the inquiry was adjourned for a fortnight."

"Of course my name was not mentioned?" I said.

"Of course not," was the detective's reply. Then he asked: "When do you
expect to get a telegram from your friend, the Consul at Leghorn? I am
anxious for that, in order that we may commence inquiries in London."

"The day after to-morrow, I hope. He will certainly reply at once,
providing the dead man's father can still be found."

And at that moment a tall, thin man, who proved to be Detective
Campbell, entered, and five minutes later we were all three driving over
the uneven cobbles of Dumfries and out in the darkness towards Rannoch.

It was cloudy and starless, with a chill mist hanging over the valley;
but my uncle's cob was a swift one, and we soon began to ascend the hill
up past the castle, and then, turning to the left, drove along a steep,
rough by-road which led to the south of the wood and out across the
moor. When we reached the latter we all descended, and I led the horse,
for owing to the many treacherous bogs it was unsafe to drive further.
So, with Mackenzie and Campbell carrying lanterns, we walked on
carefully, skirting the wood for nearly a mile until we came to the
rough wall over which I had clambered with Muriel.

I recognized the spot, and having tied up the cob we all three plunged
into the pitch-darkness of the wood, keeping straight on in the
direction of the glen, and halting every now and then to listen for the
rippling of the stream.

At last, after some difficulty, we discovered it, and searching along
the bank with our three powerful lights, I presently detected the huge
moss-grown boulder whereon I had stood when the pair of fugitives had
disappeared.

"Look!" I cried. "There's the spot!" And quickly we clambered down the
steep bank, lowering ourselves by the branches of the trees until we
came to the water into which I waded, being followed closely by my two
companions.

On gaining the opposite side I clambered up to the base of the boulder
and lowered my lantern to reveal to them the gruesome evidence of the
second crime, but the next instant I cried--

"Why! It's gone!"

"Gone!" gasped the two men.

"Yes. It was here. Look! this is the hole where they buried it! But they
evidently returned, and finding it exhumed, they've retaken possession
of it and carried it away!"

The two detectives