and Lady Ashleigh have
recovered from the shock of poor Lena's death in a marvellous manner, I
believe, but the sight of the girl might have brought it back to them. You
have left her with friends, I hope, Mr. Quest?"

[Illustration: LORD ASHLEIGH IDENTIFIES THE CAPTURED MAN AS CRAIG.]

[Illustration: "CRAIG DISAPPEARED ABOUT HERE, SIR"--SAID THE GAMEKEEPER.]

"She has an aunt in Hampstead," the latter explained. "I should have liked
to have seen her safely there myself, but we should have been an hour or
two later down here, and I tell you," he went on, his voice gathering a
note almost of ferocity, "I'm wanting to get my hands on that fellow
Craig! I wonder where they're holding him."

"At the local police-station, I expect," the Professor replied. "My
brother is a magistrate, of course, and he would see that proper
arrangements were made. There he is at the hall door."

The carriage drew up before the great front, a moment or two later. Lord
Ashleigh came forward with outstretched hands, the genial smile of the
welcoming host upon his lips. In his manner, however, there was a distinct
note of anxiety.

"Edgar, my dear fellow," he exclaimed, "I am delighted! Welcome back to
your home! Mr. Quest, I am very happy to see you here. You have heard the
news, of course?"

"We have heard nothing!" the Professor replied.

"You didn't go to Scotland Yard?" Lord Ashleigh asked.

"We haven't been to London at all," Quest explained. "We got on the boat
train at Plymouth, and your brother managed to induce one of the directors
whom he saw on the platform to stop the train for us at Hamblin Road. We
only left the boat two hours ago. There's nothing wrong with Craig, is
there?"

Lord Ashleigh motioned them to follow him.

"Please come this way," he invited.

He led them across the hall--which, dimly-lit and with its stained-glass
windows, was almost like the nave of a cathedral,--into the library
beyond. He closed the door and turned around.

"I have bad news for you both," he announced. "Craig has escaped."

Neither the Professor nor Quest betrayed any unusual surprise. So far as
the latter was concerned, his first glimpse at Lord Ashleigh's face had
warned him of what was coming.

"Dear me!" the Professor murmured, sinking into an easy-chair. "This is
most unexpected!"

"We'll get him again," Quest declared quickly. "Can you let us have the
particulars of his escape, Lord Ashleigh? The sooner we get the hang of