“Whatcha doin’ here?” Mills continued. “Where’s Mr North?”
“I don’t know where he is. Isn’t he here?”
“Why no,—he stayed up to Headland House last night. Ain’t you the detective from there?”
“Yes, I am. And Mr North left Headland House,—er,—before breakfast this morning. Didn’t he come home?”
“No, he didn’t. Leastways, I ain’t seen him. An’ I’ve got work to do,—so you can leave as soon as you like.”
“Look here, my man, keep a civil tongue in your head. Mr North has disappeared,——”
“Well, he’s got a right to disappear if he likes,—ain’t he?”
“But he went off——”
“I don’t care how he went off. It’s nothin’ to me. An’ I’ve got my work to do. Now you vamoose.”
“Not yet,” said Wise coolly, and began to look about the house. “There’s no use in taking that attitude, Mr Mills, the authorities of the village and of the county will be here shortly,—unless Mr North turns up, which I don’t think he will. Now, I’m going to do a little looking about on my own.”