"
"Flight!" I gasped. "What, have they gone?"
"Listen, and I'll tell you. The servants have described the whole affair
down in the village, so there's no doubt about it. Leithcourt showed
Muriel the telegram and urged her to fly. At first she refused, but for
her father's sake was induced to prepare to accompany him. Of course,
the guests were in ignorance of all this. The brougham was ordered to be
ready in the stable-yard and not to go round, while Mrs. Leithcourt's
maid tried to bring the lady back to her senses. Leithcourt himself, it
seemed, rushed hither and thither, seizing the jewel-cases of his wife
and daughter and whatever valuables he could place his hand upon, while
the mother and daughter were putting on their things. As he rushed down
the main staircase to the library, where his check-book and some ready
cash were locked in the safe, he met a stranger who had just been
admitted and shown into the room. Leithcourt closed the door and faced
him. What afterwards transpired, however, is a mystery, for two hours
later, after he and the two women had escaped, leaving the house-party
to their own diversions, the stranger was found locked in a large
cupboard and insensible.
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