“No, not you,” cried he, sharply. “You stay here. Olwen, send one of the servants for Jean, and tell him to go down to the cottage. They may take the silver and the clock, but I should like to see this iron box that so much fuss has been made about. Tell him to bring that back and let the rest go.”
Both his nephew and Olwen were surprised by these directions, which the girl proceeded dutifully to carry out, leaving the room for that purpose. Young Bayre, not quite knowing what to do, remained waiting for his uncle to speak, and finding himself apparently forgotten by the old gentleman, sat down near the window to wait for fresh developments. He was as much interested as his uncle in this matter of the Vazons’ escape, which, since they were certainly in some sort accomplices of the old man, might lead at last to a solution of the mystery that certainly surrounded him.
It seemed a long time that he sat there, moving from time to time, just sufficiently, as he thought, to remind his uncle that he was still in the room. But never a word did the old man speak, and the only sign of life he gave was the movement he made from time to time to stroke the head of the dog which rested at his feet.
In the circumstances it seemed a very, very long time before Olwen’s voice was heard outside, and opening the door, she admitted not only herself but a sturdy-looking man in a blouse, whom young Bayre had seen at work in the grounds.
This person, it appeared, was Jean. Old Mr Bayre raised his head with sudden and vivid interest.
“Well?” he asked sharply.
Jean replied in French, in gruff tones.
“They’re gone, m’sieu,” he said. “The Vazons have left Creux.”
The old man sank back in his chair and there was dead silence for a few moments. Jean looked at Olwen, then at young Bayre, and shrugged his shoulders.
“Ma foi!” he said shortly, “they were a good riddance. Old Vazon did little work, but he did plenty of grumbling. And as for Marie—” And he shrugged his shoulders again with a gesture signifying that he did not think much of her in any capacity.