"I'd better go up and take a look," Charles decided. "You others might search the house - though why they should conceal themselves I can't imagine."
"Charles, take your revolver!" Celia called after him, as he left the room.
"I'm going to," he said over his shoulder.
It was quite a little walk to the chapel from the house, and he did not come back for nearly twenty minutes. They had heard his voice occasionally, shouting the names of the missing couple, but no answering call had come to their ears. Both Celia and Mrs. Bosanquet were feeling very anxious by the time he returned, and when lie shook his head in answer to their eager inquiries they began to look rather scared.
"But it is quite ridiculous!" Mrs. Bosanquet said. "They must be somewhere!"
"Undoubtedly," said Charles. "But where? You've been all over the house?"
"Yes, there's no sign of them," Celia replied. "You - don't think they can have gone up to the ruin, and - and found the Monk, and he - did something to them?"
"I should hope it would- take more than that dratted Monk to tackle the pair of them!" snorted Mrs. Bowers.
But the idea was taking hold of Celia. "Supposing he had a gun?"
"If Peter had any sense he wouldn't take Margaret up to the chapel at night without his revolver," Charles said. "I'll go and look in his room, and see if it's in his dressingtable. That's where he keeps it." He went out, but this time he was soon back again, and in his hand he carried Peter's revolver. Looking distinctly grim he laid it down on the table.