Grange, Mr. Barch--and have a wee drappie o' whisky and turn in. The
evening has been unpleasantly eventful, and I feel the need of something
in the way of stimulant."

"So do I, by Jove! Never drank a blessed drop to-night, didn't feel up
to it, don't you know; but if you don't mind my toddling into the
dining-room and helping myself----"

"By all means do so, Mr. Barch, by all means!" interposed the General
with something akin to eagerness. "You will find plenty there. Help
yourself."

"Thanks very much. But come to think of it, you haven't had a drink
to-night, either. Told Hawkins you didn't feel like it, I recollect."

"No, I didn't at the time, but I certainly require it now; so if----"

"Good business!" interjected Cleek airily. "Come in and let's have one
together. Harry's asleep, so I shan't have any company; and as I never
like to drink alone, and you are my host, and there's plenty in the
dining-room----"

"Pray don't think me discourteous, Mr. Barch," interposed the General
blandly, "but I think I will take my whisky hot this evening; and as I
make a practice of never taking a hot whisky until I am safely between
the sheets, will you pardon me if I do not join you, but have mine
served in my bedroom to-night?"

"Yes, certainly," said Cleek. "Only if I'm left to drink alone I'm apt
to take two or three instead of one, and my doctor says I oughtn't to,
don't you know."

"Doctors are not infallible, Mr. Barch; they often make errors.
Good-night."

"Good-night," said Cleek. "But if I have a headache in the morning--oh,
well, I can't help it. If I have one I'll have it I suppose. Here goes!"
He walked back along the hall and went into the dining-room and shut the
door, leaning heavily against it and breathing through his shut teeth
the one word, "God!"

The footsteps of the General clicked off down the hall, but Cleek never
stirred, never moved a muscle, until their dwindling sound dropped off
into sudden silence and all was still. Then, as softly as any cat, he
twitched round, opened the door, closed it after him, and stood alone in
the hall.

He moved on tiptoe to the library. The door was closed. He stopped and
listened.

The faint rustling sound of papers told its own story. The General had
not gone to his bedroom, he was in there!

With fleet, unsounding steps Cleek moved from that closed door to the
open one of the drawing-room, remembering what Ailsa had said of how
Mrs. Raynor had dozed