Arthur did not answer.  The trap was waiting for them.

‘Why do you want to see Haddo?’ insisted the doctor.  ’You will do no more good than you have with Dr Richardson.’

‘I have made up my mind to see him,’ answered Arthur shortly.  ’But there is no need that either of you should accompany me.’

‘If you go, we will come with you,’ said Susie.

Without a word Arthur jumped into the dog-cart, and Susie took a seat by his side.  Dr Porhoet, with a shrug of the shoulders, mounted behind.  Arthur whipped up the pony, and at a smart trot they traversed the three miles across the barren heath that lay between Venning and Skene.

When they reached the park gates, the lodgekeeper, as luck would have it, was standing just inside, and she held one of them open for her little boy to come in.  He was playing in the road and showed no inclination to do so.  Arthur jumped down.

‘I want to see Mr Haddo,’ he said.

‘Mr Haddo’s not in,’ she answered roughly.

She tried to close the gate, but Arthur quickly put his foot inside.

‘Nonsense!  I have to see him on a matter of great importance.’

‘Mr Haddo’s orders are that no one is to be admitted.’

‘I can’t help that, I’m proposing to come in, all the same.’

Susie and Dr Porhoet came forward.  They promised the small boy a shilling to hold their horse.

‘Now then, get out of here,’ cried the woman.  ’You’re not coming in, whatever you say.’

She tried to push the gate to, but Arthur’s foot prevented her.  Paying no heed to her angry expostulations, he forced his way in.  He walked quickly up the drive.  The lodge-keeper accompanied him, with shrill abuse.  The gate was left unguarded, and the others were able to follow without difficulty.

‘You can go to the door, but you won’t see Mr Haddo,’ the woman cried angrily.  ‘You’ll get me sacked for letting you come.’

Susie saw the house.  It was a fine old building in the Elizabethan style, but much in need of repair; and it had the desolate look of a place that has been uninhabited.  The garden that surrounded it had been allowed to run wild, and the avenue up which they walked was green with rank weeds.  Here and there a fallen tree, which none had troubled to remove, marked the owner’s negligence.  Arthur went to the door and rang a bell.  They heard it clang through the house as though not a soul lived there.  A man came to the door, and as soon as he opened it, Arthur, expecting to be refused admission, pushed in.  The fellow was as angry as the virago, his wife, who explained noisily how the three strangers had got into the park.

’You can’t see the squire, so you’d better be off.  He’s up in the attics, and no one’s allowed to go to him.’

The man tried to push Arthur away.

‘Be off with you, or I’ll send for the police.’

‘Don’t be a fool,’ said Arthur.  ‘I mean to find Mr Haddo.’