Scarhaven Keep | Page 9

"Perhaps I'd better explain," said Copplestone. "I've already told most
of it to this lady, but you will both understand more fully if I tell you
more. It's this way--" and he went on to tell everything that had
happened and come to light since one o'clock that day. "So you see, it's
here," he concluded; "we're absolutely certain that Oliver went out of
the 'Admiral's Arms' up there about half-past two yesterday, but--where?
From that moment, no one seems to have seen him. Yet how he could
come along this village street, this quay, without being seen--"
"He need not have come along the quayside," interrupted the girl.
"There is a cliff path just below the inn which leads up to the Keep."
"Also, he mayn't have taken this side of the bay, either." remarked
Greyle. "He may have chosen the other. You didn't see or hear of him
on your side, Audrey?"
"Nothing!" replied the girl. "Nothing!"
Marston Greyle had fallen into line with the other two, and they were
now walking along the quay in the direction of the "Admiral's Arms."
And presently Stafford, accompanied by a policeman, came hurriedly
round a corner and quickened his steps at sight of Copplestone. The
policeman, evidently much puzzled and interested, saluted the Squire
obsequiously as the two groups met.
"No news at all!" exclaimed Stafford, glancing at Copplestone's
companions. "You got any?"
"None," replied Copplestone. "Not a word. This is Mr. Greyle, of the
Keep--he has heard nothing. This lady--Miss Greyle?--was out a good
deal yesterday afternoon; she knows Oliver quite well by sight, but she
did not see him. So if you've no news--"

Marston Greyle interrupted, turning to the policeman.
"What ought to be done, Haskett?" he asked. "You've had cases of
disappearance to deal with before, eh?"
"Can't say as I have, sir, in my time," answered the policeman.
"Leastways, not of this sort. Of course, we can get search parties
together, and one of 'em can go along the coast north'ards, and the other
can go south'ards, and we might have a look round the rocks out yonder,
tomorrow, as soon as it's light. But if the gentleman went out there, and
had the bad luck to fall into that Devil's Spout, why, then, sir, I'm afraid
all the searching in the world'll do no good. And the queer thing is,
gentlemen, if I may express an opinion, that nobody ever saw the
gentleman after he had left Mrs. Wooler's! That seems--"
A fisherman came lounging across the quay from the shadow of one of
the neighbouring cottages. He touched his cap to Marston Greyle, and
looked inquiringly at the two strangers.
"Are you the gentlemen as is asking after another gentleman?" he said.
"'Cause if so, I make no doubt as how I had a word or two with him
yesterday afternoon."
Stafford and Copplestone turned sharply on the newcomer--an elderly
man of plain and homely aspect who responded frankly to their
questioning glances. He went on at once, before they could put their
questions into words.
"It 'ud be about half-past two, or maybe a bit nearer three o'clock," he
said. "Up yonder it was, about a hundred yards this side of the
'Admiral's Arms.' I was sitting on a baulk o' timber there, doing nothing,
when he comes along--a tall, fine-looking man. He gives me a pleasant
sort o' nod, and said it was a grand day, and we got talking a bit, about
the scenery and such-like, and he said he'd never been here before.
Then he pointed up to the big house and the old Keep yonder, and
asked whose place that might be, and I said that was the Squire's. 'And
who may the Squire be?' says he. 'Mr. Marston Greyle,' says I, 'Recent
come into the property.' 'Marston Greyle!' he says, sharp-like. 'Why, I

used to know a young man of that very name in America!' he says.
'Very like,' says I, 'I have heard as how the Squire had been in them
parts before he came here.' 'Bless me!' he says, 'I've a good mind to call
on him. How do you get up there?' he says. So I showed him that side
path that runs up through the plantation to near the top, and I told him
that if he followed that till he came to the Keep, he'd find another path
there as would take him to the door of the house. And he gave me a
shilling to drink his health, and off he went, the way as I'd pointed out.
D'ye think that'll be the same gentleman, now?"
Nobody answered this question. Everybody there was looking at
Marston Greyle. The little group had drawn near to the light of one of
the three gas-lamps which