“Let me see! The fight was to be at ten, was it not?” he asked.
“It was to be.”
“I dare say it will be, too. Never say die, Tregellis! Your man has still three hours in which to come back.”
My uncle shook his head.
“The villains have done their work too well for that, I fear,” said he.
“Well, now, let us reason it out,” said Berkeley Craven. “A woman comes and she coaxes this young man out of his room. Do you know any young woman who had an influence over him?”
My uncle looked at me.
“No,” said I. “I know of none.”
“Well, we know that she came,” said Berkeley Craven. “There can be no question as to that. She brought some piteous tale, no doubt, such as a gallant young man could hardly refuse to listen to. He fell into the trap, and allowed himself to be decoyed to the place where these rascals were waiting for him. We may take all that as proved, I should fancy, Tregellis.”
“I see no better explanation,” said my uncle.