The two gentlemen, being inmates of the house, were summoned to say if they could throw any light on the matter.  Neither of them knew anything about it.  Had they heard any suspicious noises during the previous night?  They had heard nothing but the pattering of the rain.  Had I, lying awake longer than either of them, heard nothing either?  Nothing!  Released from examination, Mr. Franklin, still sticking to the helpless view of our difficulty, whispered to me:  “That man will be of no earthly use to us.  Superintendent Seegrave is an ass.”  Released in his turn, Mr. Godfrey whispered to me—­“Evidently a most competent person.  Betteredge, I have the greatest faith in him!” Many men, many opinions, as one of the ancients said, before my time.

Mr. Superintendent’s next proceeding took him back to the “boudoir” again, with my daughter and me at his heels.  His object was to discover whether any of the furniture had been moved, during the night, out of its customary place—­his previous investigation in the room having, apparently, not gone quite far enough to satisfy his mind on this point.

While we were still poking about among the chairs and tables, the door of the bed-room was suddenly opened.  After having denied herself to everybody, Miss Rachel, to our astonishment, walked into the midst of us of her own accord.  She took up her garden hat from a chair, and then went straight to Penelope with this question:—­

“Mr. Franklin Blake sent you with a message to me this morning?”

“Yes, miss.”

“He wished to speak to me, didn’t he?”

“Yes, miss.”

“Where is he now?”

Hearing voices on the terrace below, I looked out of window, and saw the two gentlemen walking up and down together.  Answering for my daughter, I said, “Mr. Franklin is on the terrace, miss.”

Without another word, without heeding Mr. Superintendent, who tried to speak to her, pale as death, and wrapped up strangely in her own thoughts, she left the room, and went down to her cousins on the terrace.

It showed a want of due respect, it showed a breach of good manners, on my part, but, for the life of me, I couldn’t help looking out of window when Miss Rachel met the gentlemen outside.  She went up to Mr. Franklin without appearing to notice Mr. Godfrey, who thereupon drew back and left them by themselves.  What she said to Mr. Franklin appeared to be spoken vehemently.  It lasted but for a short time, and, judging by what I saw of his face from the window, seemed to astonish him beyond all power of expression.  While they were still together, my lady appeared on the terrace.  Miss Rachel saw her—­said a few last words to Mr. Franklin—­and suddenly went back into the house again, before her mother came up with her.  My lady surprised herself, and noticing Mr. Franklin’s surprise, spoke to him.  Mr. Godfrey joined them, and spoke also.  Mr. Franklin walked away a little between the two,