"My military police here, however, are very
intelligent, and I should think it very doubtful whether he can
escape."
"Was the man who was shot a foreigner?" the Earl asked. "I trust
that he was not one of my tenants?"
"He was a stranger," was the prompt assurance.
"And his companion?" Julian ventured.
"His companion is believed to have been quite a youth. There is a
suggestion that he escaped in a motor-car, but he is probably
hiding in the neighbourhood."
Lord Maltenby frowned. There seemed to him something incongruous
in the fact that a deed of this sort should have been committed in
his domain without his knowledge. He rose to his feet.
"The Countess is probably relying upon some of us for bridge," he
said. "I hope, Colonel, that you will take a hand."
The men rose and filed slowly out of the room. The Colonel,
however, detained his host, and Julian also lingered.
"I hope, Lord Maltenby," the former said, "that you will excuse my
men, but they tell me that they find it necessary to search your
garage for a car which has been seen in the neighbourhood."
"Search my garage?" Lord Maltenby repeated, frowning.
"There is no doubt," the Colonel explained, "that a car was made
use of last night by the man who is still at large, and it is very
possible that it was stolen. You will understand, I am sure, that
any enquiries which my men may feel it their duty to make are
actuated entirely by military necessity."
"Quite so," the Earl acceded, still a little puzzled.
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