He, however, threw some light upon the matter by informing them of the dispatch of the portmanteau.
"What!" exclaimed Mr. Thaxton. "Why did you not say so before?"
The man hung his head. He was a faithful fellow, and had hoped, by concealing his master's destination, that he should give him all the more time to get out of the way, "if so be as he had committed a mistake."
"Foolish fellow!" said Mr. Thaxton. "It is to your master's interest to return and clear up the matter. We must telegraph to the Isle of Man. If, as I suppose, Mr. Leicester started last night, he would not reach there until midday. Do not be alarmed, madam; he will assuredly hurry back, posthaste, and set the affair straight, so far as he is concerned."
"That I am confident of, sir," said Mrs. Dodson, with simple dignity.
The two gentlemen rose and departed, the captain still excited, the lawyer very calm and thoughtful. They telegraphed, through the police, to the Isle of Man, and waited feverishly for an answer.
An answer came late that night.
The Wave had come in, telegraphed the skipper of the yacht, but Mr. Leicester had not arrived by it.
Before nightfall the hue and cry was in full voice, and the police were on the alert to arrest Leicester Dodson, wherever and whenever he might be found, on a charge of willful murder.