The incident was, at Blumenfeld's request, hidden from the ladies, and next day he was quite his old self again. About noon I strolled with Rayne out along the wide terrace which ran in front of the house overlooking the great park, whereupon he said: "We'll leave here to-morrow, Hargreave. Duperre is at Overstow. Write to him this afternoon and tell him to send me a wire recalling me immediately upon urgent business." "We've finished here, eh?" I asked meaningly. "Yes," he grinned, "and the sooner we're out of this place the better." So I sent Vincent a note, telling him to wire Rayne at once on receipt of it. The urgent message recalling Rudolph Rayne to Yorkshire arrived about half-past ten next morning, just as we were going out shooting. Blumenfeld was much disappointed, but his guest pleaded that he had some very important business to transact with his agent who was over from New York and desired to meet him at once. Therefore to Lola's complete satisfaction the trunks were packed and put into the car, and immediately after luncheon we set forth to Overstow. On our way back I racked my brain to discern the nature of the latest plot, but could see nothing tangible. Mr. Blumenfeld had been taken suddenly ill while playing billiards with me, and Rayne, when summoned, had done his best to resuscitate him. Yet Rayne's manner was triumphant and he was in most excellent spirits. We arrived back at Overstow Hall just before midnight, and he and Duperre held a long conversation before retiring. Of its nature I could gather nothing. As for Lola, she retired at once very cramped and tired. The whole of the following morning Duperre and Rayne were closeted together, while afterwards I drove Duperre into York, where from the telegraph office in the railway station he sent several cryptic messages abroad, of course posing to the telegraph clerk as a passing railway passenger. Rayne never sent important telegrams from the village post-office at Overstow, or even from Thirsk. They were all dispatched from places where, even if inquiry were made, the sender could not be traced. "What's in the wind?" I asked Duperre as he sat by my side on our drive back to Overstow. "Something, my dear George," he answered, smiling mysteriously. "At present I can't tell you. In due course you'll know--something big. Whenever Rudolph superintends in person it is always big. He never touches minor matters. He devises and arranges them as a general plans a battle, but he never superintends himself--only in the real big things. Even then he never acts himself."