"That is queer," Morriston said, as though scarcely knowing whether to
take it seriously or otherwise. "Now I come to think of it I don't
recollect seeing anything of the man after quite the first part of the
evening. Did you, Painswick?"
"No, can't say I did," Painswick answered.
"And," observed Kelson, "he was not a man to be easily overlooked when
he was on show. I missed him, not altogether disagreeably, after the
early dances."
"What is the idea?" Edith Morriston inquired. "Is there any theory to
account for his disappearance?"
"No," Kelson answered, "unless a discreditable one. Gone off at a
tangent."
"And still in his evening things?" Painswick said with a laugh. "Rather
uncomfortable this weather."
"That reminds me," Morriston said with sudden animation, "one of the
footmen brought me a fur coat and a soft hat this morning and asked me if
they were mine. They had been unclaimed after the dance and he had
ascertained that they belonged to none of the men who were staying here.
Nor were they mine."
"That is most curious," Kelson said with a mystified air. "Henshaw was
wearing a fur coat and soft hat when we saw him in the hall of the _Lion_
just before starting.
Pages:
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42