here. And it was she who had brought him the poignard in the first
place! It was the devil's own doing, any way you looked at it. And not
only Catherine Dowd, but Miss Debenham and Johanna McCall as well.

He reached the house at last, and stepping in through the French window
that led to the great drawing-room by the back way, rang a bell there
and waited for the maid who answered to come and speak to him.

"I want Miss Duggan, please."

The maid withdrew with a discreet, "Yessir," and it was not many seconds
later when Maud Duggan herself appeared, looking pale and distraite and
exceedingly unhappy.

"You wanted me, Mr. Deland?"

"I did. Just for a moment," replied Cleek gently, noting her dark-ringed
eyes, and in the present state of his mental peregrinations feeling more
than a little sorry for her. "I've something to show you. And I want you
to tell me exactly to whom they belong and how you think they got where
my boy discovered them."

Then he pulled the wrappings from his bulky parcel and set the
hunting-boots in front of her upon a little marquetrie table.

She gave a sudden start, went pale as death, and shut her hands against
her heart as though to stop its unruly beating. Her pale lips trembled.

"Angus's!" she exclaimed in a wrung voice. "Where--did you find them?"

Cleek turned his head away, not to see her evident distress. It hurt him
miserably to hurt her. It was like whipping a faithful dog that trusted
you.

"I thought so. The name, you see, is inside. My man found them hidden in
the shrubbery, just near the gates, and brought them along to me at
once. Do you know anything about how they got there, Miss Duggan?"

She shook her head vigorously.

"No. Not a single idea of it, Mr. Deland. That I swear," she returned
with emphasis. "Those boots are undoubtedly Captain Macdonald's, of that
I am sure. And see, as you say, there is the name inside. But they have
not been used by him for a long, long time. It was nearly six months
ago, I think, that he left them here, after a meet in our grounds, and
before Father had found out anything about our--our caring for each
other. He stayed the night, Mr. Deland, and Ross lent him some sleeping
things, and then one of the men-servants carried his hunting togs over
to his place the next day."

"And these boots?"

"Were left behind by mistake. He called for them, but I asked him not to
take them away. You see, I--liked to have them here, for silly,
se