The Riddle of the Frozen Flame

ce more in the study. Doctor Bartholomew-a little late at having waited and listened for the outward result of his drug in Nigel's comforting snore-joined

sence, I swear I don't. It-it looks fishy, somehow. And he was in no mood to play boyish pranks o

considere

eye, boys. Frankly, I don't like it. Wynne's a brute, but he never liked practical joking. It's my private opinion that he would have returned by now-if something hadn'

o men

e's-he's got some sort of devilish influence over him, I believe. And how he hates Nigel! See

er chap and a revengeful one. And he was as drunk as a bea

m the men sat, talking in undertones and smoking, or dropping off into long s

n of Wynne yet. We'll be g

l, threw on their coats and hats, and then Tony West nervously slid the bolts of the big front door. It creaked once or twice

on the gravelled pathway for them to see the descent. Then one by one

"Not a soul knows we're gone, boys. That's pretty certain. Now, then, out of the gate and turn to the rig

? If he had looked back once when the big gate shut, he might have changed his mind upon that score. With white face pressed close against the glass of the smo

ures and the light of the doctor's torch. "Every one of 'e

ce until the edge of the Fens was reached. Here, with one accord, they stopped for further instructio

Fens, it's the most direct course. He wouldn't have been such a duffer as to walk too far out of his way-if

That some man had crossed this way, and recently, too, was perfectly plain. The footprints wavered a little that wa

ll!" broke out Tony West, excitedly. "Why th

ittle, their eyes bent upon the ground, their foreheads wrinkled. On and on and on they went, while the sky above them lightened and grew murky with the soft cloudiness of breaking dawn. T

looked up for a moment into the dull mist ahead. "If we're not all down with pne

"What a fool the man was to attempt i

The doctor was a little ahead of the rest of them, Tony West came second, the others s

eavens

ke the thing he gazed at more distinguishable, while another mile away at least, the flames twinkled

y West, getting to his knees and pee

itement. "There has been a fire here or something. And-Wynne went no farther, apparently. The ground about

round as a small table. What did it mean? What could it mean, but one thing? Somehow, somewhere, Wynne had vanished. It was incredible, unbelievable, and yet-there was the evidence of their own eyes. From that spot onward the grou

straighten

lage gossips, I'd-I'd begin to imagine there was something in the story after all!" he said, ge

had happened in the East one might have looked at it with a more fatalistic eye. But here-in England, no man in his senses could believe such a fool's tale

d searched. Not a footprint was to be found beyond the spot, not a trace of any living thi

the pale light of the early morning looking white and drawn with the excitement and strain of the night. "What to make of it all, I don't k

s head gravely, as they trudged on through the mud and mire. "And if Wynne isn't found-well, there'll b

that's all the help we'll get from him!" supplemented West with a harsh laugh. "I know the sort.... Here's th

ps two at a time. But Borkins had opened the door befor

You found 'im?" h

ever, Borkins. Whe

ke a grampus. This'll be a shock to 'im sir,

m comfortingly. He crossed to the table, picked up a decanter and slopped out a peg of whisky. This he dr

d he, "to