Unfortunately, we had not proceeded many yards before the worst we could have anticipated happened. All at once the three whom we were pursuing stopped at a gate which led, by way of a drive, up to a large, superior-looking house. A tall, interesting stranger with the clear-cut features of a typical barrister, who has not been down long enough from 'Varsity life to forget all the graces, stepped up to them, and then the entire party moved round and went into the house, the door of which closed behind them. "Confound it! we shall learn nothing like this," snapped Casteno, biting his lips in his annoyance. "I thought I knew my father's habits and methods pretty well, but ever since I have been down here at Shrewsbury he has managed to throw me out of my reckoning continually. Now, what are we to do, Glynn? Had we better grin and bear it, or ought we to try if we can't find out for ourselves what is happening in this place?" I turned round stolidly and motioned to a boy who was passing, his eyes fixed in admiration on the uniform I was wearing--that of a sergeant in the Royal Engineers. "Who lives in this house?" I asked, and a sixpenny piece travelled from my palm to his. "Nobody--often," answered the lad, with a smile. "As a matter of fact, it belongs to the Earl of Fotheringay, like the most of the property does hereabout. He came down here late last night. I know, because I serve him with milk." And with a self-conscious nod the juvenile tradesman pulled himself together and passed on. "There! What did I tell you?" asked Casteno. "Didn't I suggest Miss Napier had been inveigled into this business to help Lord Fotheringay out of his difficulties? You mark my words. This walk of theirs--this meeting--this encounter outside these gates--are all a plant--a trap designed to get the hunchback into the Government's clutches. Our duty now is clear. We must find our way inside and checkmate any of their moves at once." "Steadily," I replied, "steadily," pulling the excited Spaniard down a long, narrow, leaf-covered passage that ran by the side of a wall which skirted the limit of the grounds attached to the house. "It is all very well to pull up these theories in this fashion; but there is one great helper of ours always ready to checkmate both Fotheringay and Cuthbertson, and him you have quite forgotten. Now, remembering the existence of Mr Cooper-Nassington, why should we go and put our necks in jeopardy, eh?" And out of the corner of an eye I shot a quick glance at Casteno. It had been long on my mind to find out what that Honourable Member was up to, and I realised that this was a most favourable chance. After all, we had to wait for a decent interval. There was just a possibility that the trio might re-appear and return to the Green Dragon.