“They were here, two hours ago,” said Croyden. “We had tea with them.”
“Find out from the other servants whether they left any word.” 275
“Dey didn’, seh! no, seh! I ax’d dem, seh!”
“Very singular, indeed! excuse me, sirs, I’ll try to locate them.”
He went to the telephone, and called up the Lashiels, the Tilghmans, the Tayloes, and all their neighbors and intimates, only to receive the same answer: “They were not there, and hadn’t been there that afternoon.”
“This is amazing, sirs!” he exclaimed. “I will go up myself and see.”
“We are at your service, Captain Carrington,” said Macloud instantly.—“At your service for anything we can do.”
“They knew, of course, you were expected for dinner?” he asked, as he led the way upstairs.—“I can’t account for it.”
The Captain inspected his granddaughter’s and Miss Cavendish’s rooms, Macloud and Croyden, being discreet, the rooms on the other side of the house. They discovered nothing which would explain.
“We will have dinner,” said the Captain. “They will surely turn up before we have finished.”