at Rannoch."

"Alone?"

"Of course. Everyone has left, now the host and hostess have slipped off
without saying good-bye. Scandalous affair, isn't it? But, my boy,
you'll remember that I always said I didn't like those people. There's
something mysterious about them, I feel certain. That telegram gave them
warning of the visit of the man Chater, depend upon it, and for some
reason they're afraid of him. It would be interesting to know what
transpired between the two men in the library. And these are people
who've been taken up by everybody--mere adventurers, I should call
them!" And old Sir George sniffed again at thought of such scandal
happening in the neighborhood. "If Gilrae must let Rannoch, then why in
the name of Fortune doesn't he let it to respectable folk and not to the
first fellow who answers his advertisement in _The Field?_ It's simply
disgraceful!"

"Certainly, it is a most extraordinary story," I declared. "Leithcourt
evidently wished to escape from his visitor, and that's why he drugged
him."

"Why he poisoned him, you mean. Cowan says the fellow is poisoned, but
that he'll probably recover. He is already conscious, I hear."

I resolved to call on the doctor, who happened to be well known to me,
and obtain further particulars. Therefore at eleven o'clock I drove into
Dumfries and entered his consulting-room.

He was a spare, short, fair man, a trifle bald, and when I was shown in
he welcomed me warmly, speaking with his pronounced Galloway accent.

"Well, it is a very mysterious case, Mr. Gregg," he said, after I had
told him the object of my visit. "The gentleman is still in the
hospital, and I have to keep him very quiet. He was poisoned without a
doubt, and has had a very narrow escape of his life. The police got wind
of the affair, and Mackenzie called to question him. But he refused to
make any statement whatever, apparently treating the affair very
lightly. The police, however, are mystified as to the reason of Mr.
Leithcourt's sudden flight, and are anxious to get at the bottom of the
curious affair."

"Naturally. And more especially after the tragedy up in Rannoch Wood a
short time ago," I said.

"That's just it," said the doctor, removing his pince-nez and rubbing
them. "Mackenzie seems to suspect some connection between Leithcourt's
sudden disappearance and that mysterious affair. It seems very evident
that the telegram was a warning to Leithcourt of the man Chater's
intention of