"Who is this man Martin Woodroffe, of whom she speaks?" asked the
Princess presently, turning to me.
"I have met him twice--only twice," I replied, "and under strange
circumstances." Then, continuing, I told her something concerning the
incidents of the yacht _Lola_.
"He may be in love with her, and desires to force her into marriage,"
she suggested, expressing amazement at the curious narrative I had
related.
"I think not, for several reasons. One is because I know she holds some
secret concerning him, and another because he is engaged to an English
girl named Muriel Leithcourt."
"Leithcourt? Leithcourt?" repeated the Princess, knitting her brows with
a puzzled air. "Do you happen to know her father's name?"
"Philip Leithcourt."
"And has he actually been living in Scotland?"
"Yes," I answered in quick anxiety. "He rented a shoot called Rannoch,
near Dumfries. A mysterious incident occurred on his estate--a double
murder, or murder and suicide; which is not quite clear--but shortly
afterwards there appeared one evening at the house a man named Chater,
Hylton Chater, and the whole family at once fled and disappeared.
Pages:
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385