The next instant, the door gave way under the force of his blows, and he dashed into the room just in time to see a head disappear behind the sill of the open window.
Dashing through the room without a moment’s hesitation, the young fellow reached the window, and looked out. There was the sloping roof of an outhouse underneath, and although he could see no one, he flung himself out, slid down the tiles and found himself precipitated quickly if not very gently to the ground. Then he saw a dim something moving in front of him, under the trees, and he followed.
The shadowy something paused. A cry escaped him, a low cry of triumph, as he found that he was gaining on the creature he was pursuing. But the next moment he uttered a cry of a different sort, and a much louder one, as he found himself precipitated with great suddenness into a bath of ice-cold water.
Not being acquainted with the geography of the place, he had walked straight into the little river. Cries and shouts quickly brought him assistance, for the landlord, who had been already awakened by the hammering in of the upstairs door, came out in his night-shirt and rescued him with a boat-hook.
“The thief!” sputtered the amateur detective with chattering teeth. “The thief! I’ve found her out! I’ve found her!”
“What thief?” said Claris, surlily, as he dragged the shivering man towards the back door of the inn with no gentle hand. “Who do you mean by thief, you addle-pated rascal?”
“You’ll see, you’ll see to-morrow,” replied the other, undaunted, not heeding his own pitiful plight in his excitement. “Whose is the bedroom upstairs at the back on the right?”
“That’s my niece’s room,” said Claris, sullenly, “and if you dare to say that she had anything to do with your fool’s outing to-night, I’ll shake such brains as you’ve got out of yer!”
“SPEAK OUT, MAN, OR BACK YOU SHALL GO INTO THE RIVER AGAIN.”—See Page [84].