“I suppose you don’t care to telephone the police?” asked Croyden.
“No—not yet,” the Captain replied. “Davila would never forgive me, if nothing really were wrong—besides, I couldn’t. The Mayor’s office is closed for the night—we’re not supposed to need the police after six o’clock.”
“Then Croyden and I will patrol the roads, hereabout,” said Macloud.
“Good! I will go out the Queen Street pike a mile or two,” the Captain said. “You and Mr. Croyden can take the King Street pike, North and South. We’ll meet here not later than eleven o’clock. Excuse me a moment——”
“What do you make of it?” said Macloud.
“It is either very serious or else it’s nothing at all. I mean, if anything has happened, it’s far out of the ordinary,” Croyden answered.
“Exactly my idea—though, I confess, I haven’t a notion what the serious side could be. It’s safe to assume that they didn’t go into the country—the hour, alone, would have deterred them, even if the danger from the negro were not present, constantly, in Miss Carrington’s mind. On the other hand, how could anything have happened in the town which would prevent one of them from telephoning, or sending a message, or getting some sort of word to the Captain.” 278
“It’s all very mysterious—yet, I dare say, easy of solution and explanation. There isn’t any danger of the one thing that is really terrifying, so I’m not inclined to be alarmed, unduly—just disquieted.”
At this moment Captain Carrington returned.
“Here! take these,” he said, giving each a revolver. “Let us hope there won’t be any occasion to use them, but it is well to be prepared.”