"I am sure they could not, Mr. Nash, sir. I think I know most of the stuff that they have gone through. Oh, in a very general way, your ludship, to be sure. But I am sure 'is late ludship was not in the 'abit of keeping anything he was precious of in the East Wing or the Main 'Ouse, sir."
We left Watkins to supervise the servants in reëstablishing order in the upset rooms, and returned to the West Wing. In the Gunroom, Hugh lit a cigarette and straddled his legs in front of the fire. Nikka and I dropped into the lounge that faced the hearth.
"Well?" said Hugh, and his lips had resumed the grim line I had noticed in church.
"Who are they?" I suggested.
"Good idea," approved Hugh, and he rang the bell by the door.
Watkins arrived with the celerity of a djin.
"Watty, I wish you'd make inquiries along the roads, and find out if any strangers have been seen around the place this morning. Oh, yes, and tell the servants not to talk. You understand? Not to talk. The man or woman who talks is to be dismissed."
"That was another good idea," said Nikka. "Our best bet is to keep our mouths shut. They, whoever, they are, have us guessing. Maybe we can make them guess a little. And that reminds me, do you realize that they have saved us quite a bit of searching?"
"You mean in turning two-thirds of the house upside down?" answered Hugh.
"Just that. And I'd suggest that we waste no time in going thoroughly over this wing, ourselves."