Shortly Mrs. Petley returned with the information that Mr. Burgh was nowhere to be seen. This did not trouble Rupert who thought that the buccaneer (always of an impatient disposition) might have grown tired of waiting. With Olivia, he strolled round the grounds for thirty minutes and at length entered the ruins of the Abbey. Here the first thing they saw, was Mr. Clarence Burgh seated on a stone under the copper beech. He jumped up and came forward, with his usual grace and invariable impudence.
"Glad to see you out again, Ainsleigh," said he taking off his hat, "and you look well, Mrs. Ainsleigh--just like a picture."
"Thank you," replied Olivia, concealing her dislike with difficulty, "you wish to see my husband I presume."
"Just for two shakes," said Clarence easily, "say old man, what about Forge. Are y' going to' round on him?"
Rupert nodded, "I have written to Rodgers to-day. But I'll give him this chance of escape--warn him if you like."
"Not me," said Burgh coldly, "every man for his own durned skin--begging your pardon Mrs. Ainsleigh. I saw him while you were trying for Kingdom Come, and told him that he'd the fan."
"What did he say?"
"Gave me the lie. Swore he'd been in the card-room between eleven and twelve, and never saw the old girl. Said he'd had enough of the fan, as it had nearly caused his death. Then he said he'd split on me if I gave him away."
"But you told him, you did confess to the Chinaman."
"Oh that's all right. Forge don't care a red cent for their telling the police. They won't engineer the biznai into the courts. So long as they get the fan, they don't mind. Forge knows they won't make the matter public, but now he's in mortal fear, lest they should kill him."