“I said I supposed so.  It’s usual for a man to go there, I believe, to get ready for dinner,” added young Carteret, always ripe for a wordy war, in his antipathy to the countess-dowager.

“You said he had come in;” and the angry woman faced round on Captain Dawkes.  “You saw them going into their rooms, you said.  Which was it—­you did, or you didn’t?”

“I did see Carteret make his appearance; and assumed that Lord Hartledon had gone on to his room,” replied the captain, suppressing a laugh.  “I am sorry to have misled your ladyship.  I dare say Hart is about the house somewhere.”

“Then why doesn’t he appear?” stormed the dowager.  “Pretty behaviour this, to keep us all waiting dinner.  I shall tell him so.  Val Elster, ring for Hedges.”

Val rang the bell.  “Has Lord Hartledon come in?” he asked, when the butler appeared.

“No, sir.”

“And dinner’s spoiling, isn’t it, Hedges?” broke in the dowager.

“It won’t be any the better for waiting, my lady.”

“No.  I must exercise my privilege and order it served.  At once, Hedges, do you hear?  If Hartledon grumbles, I shall tell him it serves him right.”

“But where can Hartledon be?” cried Captain Dawkes.

“That’s what I am wondering,” said Val.  “He can’t be on the river all this time; Carteret would have seen him in coming home.”

A strangely grave shade, looking almost like a prevision of evil, arose to Dr. Ashton’s face.  “I trust nothing has happened to him,” he exclaimed.  “Where did you part company with him, Mr. Carteret?”

“That’s more than I can tell you, sir.  You must have seen—­at least—­no, you were not there; but those looking on must have seen me get ahead of him within view of the starting-point; soon after that I lost sight of him.  The river winds, you know; and of course I thought he was coming on behind me.  Very daft of me, not to divine that the boat had been removed!”

“Do you think he passed the mill?”

“The mill?”

“That place where the river forms what might almost be called a miniature harbour.  A mill is built there which the stream serves.  You could not fail to see it.”

“I remember now.  Yes, I saw the mill.  What of it?”

“Did Lord Hartledon pass it?”

“How should I know!” cried the boy.  “I had lost sight of him ages before that.”

“The current is extremely rapid there,” observed Dr. Ashton.  “If he found his arm failing, he might strike down to the mill and land there; and his ankle may be keeping him a prisoner.”

“And that’s what it is!” exclaimed Val.

They were crossing the hall to the dining-room.  Without the slightest ceremony, the countess-dowager pushed herself foremost and advanced to the head of the table.

“I shall occupy this seat in my nephew’s absence,” said she.  “Dr. Ashton, will you be so good as to take the foot?  There’s no one else.”