But the first thing which Mr. Fortune did was to send a note to Miss Amber.
My dear Child,—
Mark can appeal. The ground for it is the disappearance of the Carwell butler—and a good ground.
But he must appeal. Tell Miss Nest.
R. F.
Two days afterwards he went again to Scotland Yard summoned to a conference of the powers. The public prosecutor’s large and florid face had no welcome for him. “Any more new facts, Finch?” he said cheerfully.
“Mark Carwell has entered an appeal,” Mr. Finchampstead boomed. “On the ground of the butler’s disappearance.”
“Fancy that!” Reggie murmured, and lit a cigar. “Sir Brian doesn’t seem to have been very well informed, Lomas.”
“The boy’s come to his senses, I suppose. But we haven’t found the butler. He left no papers behind him. All he did leave was his clothes and about a hundred pounds in small notes.”
“So he didn’t take his ready money. That’s interesting.”