ving said--and instead of
retiring with the rest of the house party when bedtime came and
his Japanese valet carried up his customary carafe of ice-water----"

"Oh, he has a Japanese valet, has he? But, of course, in these days
no American gentleman with any pretence to distinction whatsoever
would be without one. Go on, please. His Japanese valet carried up
the ice-water, and--then what?"

"Then he suddenly announced his intention of going into the Stone
Drum and working for a few hours. Lord Fallowfield, it appears, tried
his best to dissuade him, but to no purpose."

"Why did he do that? Or don't you know?"

"Yes. I asked that very question myself. I was told that it was
because his lordship saw very plainly that he was labouring under
strong mental excitement, and he thought that rest would be the
best thing for him in the circumstances. Then, too, his lordship
and he are warmly attached to each other. In fact, the earl was
as fond of him as if he had been a brother. As well he ought to be,
by James! when you recollect that before he got the idea into his
head of marrying his son to Lady Marjorie he added a codicil to his
will bequeathing the place to Lord Fallowfield, together with all
the acres and acres of land he had added to it, and all the art
treasures he had collected, absolutely free from death duties."

"Oho!" said Cleek, then smiled and pinched his chin and said no more.

"Well, it appears that when his lordship found that he couldn't
make the stubborn old johnnie change his mind, he accompanied him to
the Stone Drum, together with the valet, to see that everything was
as it should be, and that nothing was wanting that might tend to the
comfort and convenience of a night worker. When there was nothing
more that could be done, the valet was dismissed, his lordship
said good-night to his friend and left him there alone, hearing, as
he passed along the railed walk over the roof of the wing to the
building proper (a matter of some twenty-odd feet) the sound of
the bolt being shot, the bar put on, and the key being turned as
Mr. Drake locked himself in.

"What happened from that moment, Cleek, nobody knows. At seven
o'clock this morning the valet, going to his master's room with
his shaving-water, found that he had never gone to bed at all,
and, on hastening to the Stone Drum, found that a light was still
burning within and faintly illuminating the bowman's slits; but
although he knocked on the door a