"Oh, is this the young man who noosed him? Well, he has broken the bull's knees; but, however, it is fortunate that he was at hand. By the way, what is this that Simon tells me. Something has happened in Stow Wood?"
"I fear so," replied Mr. St. Clive; and he narrated briefly what they had discovered.
Was it fancy, or did Ralph notice that handsome face turn a shade paler when mention was made of the bullet cut from the tree? Somehow the boy did not like this wealthy gentleman, though he knew not why he should regard him with enmity. When Mr. St. Clive had concluded, Lord Elgert said—
"Dear, dear! How strange! But still, you do not know that anything has happened. You will tell the police, of course. Can you give a description of your father, my boy?"
"I can show his likeness, sir," replied Ralph, taking out his pocket-book. "Here it is!"
Lord Elgert took the photograph, but as he looked at it he gave a whistle of surprise.
"So this is the missing man?" he said. "St. Clive, perhaps, I can tell you something of interest. Last night my place was broken into, and I woke up to hear a man in my study. I went down and switched on the electric light, so that I could see the rascal quite plainly. He turned and tried to bolt, but I closed with him, and in the rough-and-tumble he managed to cut my hand open and clear off. St. Clive, I am positive that the man was none other than the original of this likeness, and——"
He was interrupted by a passionate cry of pain and anger, and Ralph, snatching the photograph from his hand, stood confronting him with blazing eyes.
"It is false!" he cried. "You know it is false! I believe that you are responsible for my father's disappearance!"