"I trust that he was not one of my tenants ?" "He was a stranger," was the prompt assurance.
"And his companion ?" Julian ventured.
"His companion is believed to have been quite a youth.

There is a suggestion that he escaped in a motor-car, but he is probably hiding in the neighbourhood." Lord Maltenby frowned.

There seemed to him something incongruous in the fact that a deed of this sort should have been committed in his domain without his knowledge.

He rose to his feet.
"The Countess is probably relying upon some of us for bridge," he said.
"I hope, Colonel, that you will take a hand." The men rose and filed slowly out of the room.

The Colonel, however, detained his host, and Julian also lingered.
"I hope, Lord Maltenby," the former said, "that you will excuse my men, but they tell me that they find it necessary to search your garage for a car which has been seen in the neighbourhood." "Search my garage ?" Lord Maltenby repeated, frowning.
"There is no doubt," the Colonel explained, "that a car was made use of last night by the man who is still at large, and it is very possible that it was stolen.