Chapter Nineteen.
A Matter of Urgency.
When Roddy Homfray returned from Farncombe Towers shortly before midnight he was staggered to find his father lying back in his arm-chair.
Horrified, he tried to rouse him. But at once he saw that he was dead.
He raised the alarm, and Doctor Denton was at once fetched out in his pyjamas from the other end of the village.
“As I feared,” said his friend when he saw the dead rector. “He has had another heart attack which has unfortunately proved fatal.”
“But he was quite all right and bright when I left him at seven,” Roddy cried in despair.
“No doubt. But your father has had a weak heart for years. I’ve attended him for it, so there will be no need for an inquest. Indeed, only a week ago I warned him that any undue excitement might end fatally.”
“But he has had no excitement!” cried the dead man’s son, looking in despair around the cosy little study, where upon the writing-table “Cruden’s Concordance” still lay open, as it had done when Gordon Gray had entered.