"Oh, I had other business, and never got back along here until just at daylight this morning. Then I found things this way."
"You don't know what occurred, then?"
"No more than you do. But I've got my opinion. It's this—Grant and his fellows must have left as soon as it was dark, taking the west road, which was the cause of your missing them. It is likely from this man Mike's body, that your daughter and her party were still in the house. It couldn't have been much later when these others got here and made the attack. Mike must have fought them at the front door, but that was all the fight made; there's no sign of any struggle inside."
"Then they never got Claire," declared Mortimer positively. "That's a certainty, Seldon."
"She would have fought, sir?"
"Like a tiger. I know my little girl. And, besides, Peter would have died before the hand of one of those villains was ever laid upon her."
"But," I protested, "I have searched the house, Colonel."
"I imagine your acquaintance with the house is somewhat limited," he replied coldly, turning away. "Seldon, place this fellow under guard in the library here. We will learn later what his business might be in the Jerseys."