My mummy has been lost: Mr.Bolton has been murdered.

The police are coming, and--and--" He choked again.
But the servants waited to hear no more.

The mere mention of the words "murder" and "police" sent them, pale-faced and startled, down to the basement, where they huddled like a flock of sheep.

Braddock looked around for Hope, but found that he had opened the front door, and had vanished.

But he was too distracted to think why Archie had gone, and there was much to do in putting things straight.