The Hunt Ball Mystery

g drive round the neighbourhood. Before starting he

per answered in an aggrieved tone. "His

here this morning," K

has been seen or heard of him here si

at looks rather quee

uld say. What do you make of

eyond me, gentlemen. We can none of us make it out. I've never known a

at the host's worry. "Don't take it too seriously; it isn't worth it. You've got Mr. Henshaw's lug

jerk of the head. "It is ve

as he went off

haw," he remarked lightly as they started off. "Such men as he know what they ar

y. "All the same, his non-appe

gestion of mystery in a

hey have a keen scent for impressionable women, of whom a fellow of that sort has always half-a-dozen in tow. No doubt t

" Gifford answered with convic

y found that nothing had been heard

l this time in his evening clothes. Not but what a man like that would not let a trifle stand in his way if he ha

er to settle his betrothal, but Gifford suggested that the duty call should be paid first, and so it was arranged. To Kelson's delight he heard that Muriel Tredworth and her brother were comi

y sat over tea, "rather an extraordinar

at?" asked

A big, dark fellow, probably a stranger to you, but b

low?" Morri

-and-thirty, I sho

certainly," Gi

ost to swarthiness; of c

udden recollection. "I int

observed Lord Painswic

rt of chap. Wh

"Simply disappea

There was a cho

mean?" Mor

an amusing story. "Poor Host Dipper is taking it quite tragically, notwithstanding the satisfactory

ever came back all night

us, half asleep, at four o'clock to ask whether h

een or heard of the man

seriously or otherwise. "Now I come to think of it I don't recollect seeing any

I did," Pains

ily overlooked when he was on show. I missed him, n

on inquired. "Is there any theory

nless a discreditable one

" Painswick said with a laugh. "R

d a soft hat this morning and asked me if they were mine. They had been unclaimed after the dance and

haw was wearing a fur coat and soft hat when we saw him in the

y he was," Gif

be his," Morri

hout them?" Painswic

of c

s," Morriston observed with a puz

replied. "You know hi

fly at the station constitutes an acquaintance. Gifford acted as peacemaker, and we put up with the fellow'

racter, to men at any rate; and we rather wondere

ticket in the ordinar

served, "you may quite easily run risks in g

d, "we need not make too much of it. We don't kno

le swaggerers everywhe

t he had the decency to efface himself promptly enou

sion to go over the house; he is, it appears, writing a book on the antiquities of the county. I have asked him to luncheon to-morrow, and we shall be delighted if you and Kelson wi

n with alacrity, and Gifford could do n

aid as they drove back. "If it is at all painful to y

sentimental about the place going out of our family, and these Morristons are quite the

u know, my dear Hugh, if I married a woman like that I should always be a little

o deep feeling under

like a girl with whom you can get on without going through the process of thawing her first. And with Edith Morris

h him the ice is a lit

rd ve

ratch him and you come upon a very straight-laced aristocrat.

e Golden Lion the

Kelson inquired with characteristic cheeriness, ig

Henshaw. There are three telegrams come for him, and I have

ou rep

ince," Dipper quoted. "It is rather awkward and

about it, Mr. Dipper. If the man goes out and does not choose to come back, that, b

," Gifford

t looked anythi

e same, we are beginning not to like

on as we were able to form of Mr. Henshaw I don't think it worth while making much

out it if I were you,

oy came in and handed his message to the la

t fail directly Mr. He

Court, Temple, Lon

rother," Giff

. "Let him worry if he l

s what he ask

g the landlord reperusing the telegra