ing clothes--but he need not wash his face
much--and bring him here. Mr. Logan, I mean Lord Fastcastle, will want
him. Now, Mrs. Bower--you see I trust you absolutely--what he is wanted
for is _this_. I shall dress in your grandson's clothes, I shall blacken
my hands and face slightly, and I must get to Drem. Have I time to reach
the station by ten minutes past seven?'

'By fast walking, sir.'

'Mr. Logan and your grandson--your grandson in my clothes--will walk
later to your son's house, as they find a chance, unobserved, say about
eleven at night. They will stay there for some time. Then they will be
joined by some of the police, who will accompany Mr. Logan home again.
Your grandson will go to his work as usual in the morning. That is all.
You quite understand? You have nothing to do but to bring your grandson
here, dressed as I said, as soon as he leaves his work. Oh, wait a
moment! Is your grandson a teetotaller?'

'He's like the other lads, sir.'

'All the better. Does he smoke?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Then pray bring me a pipe of his and some of his tobacco. And, ah yes,
does he possess such a thing as an old greatcoat?'

'His auld ane's sair worn, sir.'

'Never mind, he had better walk up in it. He has a better one?'

'Yes, sir.'

'I think that is all,' said Merton. 'You understand, Mrs. Bower, that I
am going away dressed as your grandson, while your grandson, dressed as
myself, returns to his house to-night, and to work to-morrow. But it is
not to be known that I _have_ gone away. I am to be supposed ill in bed
here for a day or two. You will bring my meals into the room at the
usual hours, and Logan--of course you can trust Dr. Douglas?'

'I do.'

'Then he had better be summoned to my sick bed here to-morrow. I may be
so ill that he will have to call twice. That will keep up the belief
that I am here.'

'Good idea,' said Logan, as the old woman left the room. 'What had I
better do now?'

'Oh, send your telegrams--the advertisements--to the London papers. They
can go by the trap you ordered for me, that I am too ill to go in. Then
you will have to interview the detectives, take them into the laird's
chamber, and, if they start my theory about the secret entrance being
under the fallen stones, let them work away at removing them. If they
don't start it, put them up to it; anything to keep them employed and
prevent them from asking questions in the villages.'

'But, Merton, I u