She's going across the park there--crossin' yon path."
He pointed over the level sward to the slight figure of a woman in
black, who was obviously taking a near cut up to the Grange. Nesta
looked wonderingly across the park as the car cleared the gate and went
on up the drive.
"Who can she be?" she said musingly. "A woman from a long way--to see
me?"
"She'll get to the house soon after we reach it," said Eldrick. "Let's
attend to this more pressing business first. We should know what's afoot
here in a minute or two."
But it was somewhat difficult to make out or to discover what really was
afoot. The car stopped at the hall door: the second car came close
behind it; Nesta, Collingwood, Eldrick, Byner, and the detectives poured
into the hall--encountered a much mystified-looking butler, a couple of
footmen, and the groom whose services Esther Mawson had requisitioned,
and who, weary of waiting for her, had come up to the house.
"What's all this?" asked Eldrick, taking the situation into his own
hands. "What's the matter? Why did you send for the police?"
"Mrs. Mallathorpe's orders, sir," answered the butler, with an
apologetic glance at his young mistress. "Really, sir, I don't
know--exactly--what is the matter! We are all so confused! What happened
was, that not very long after Miss Mallathorpe had left for town in the
carriage, Esther Mawson, the maid, came downstairs from Mrs.
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