"And I say, by jove!" cried the Colonel greatly excited, "Hest told a lie if he said that he received a letter saying that Maunders had arrived. Even if posted in Bowderstyke last evening it could not reach him before to-night, and you say he gave you the information this afternoon?" "He may have received it at mid-day." "No," said Towton decidedly. "Our post at Bowderstyke is very uncertain, as I know to my cost. This evening or to-morrow morning is the very earliest that Hest could receive a letter posted on Sunday, and as Maunders did not arrive until then Miss Hest could not have written before." "I don't believe that he arrived at all, and I can't conceive why Miss Hest should tell a falsehood." "I can. She is scheming for this money. However, I shall go with you to-morrow and we'll have it out with Hest. Where is he to be found?" "He is staying with Professor Garrick Gail, at Isleworth." "The deuce! Ida told me that he did not approve of his sister's reciting." "Nor does he. But she asked him to give some message, and the Professor asked him to stop at Isleworth while he was in town. He did so, as he explained to me, so that he could persuade the Professor to induce Miss Hest to give up her career." "A very lame explanation," said the Colonel grimly. "Gentlemen don't stay at such places for such weak purposes. I tell you, Vernon, that I don't believe in those Hests. I never did, although you defended the sister. They had a bad name at Bowderstyke as a wild family." "Oh, I thought that Francis Hest was looked upon as a benefactor?" "He is," admitted the Colonel reluctantly, "he's a crazy philanthropist, with his parish school-houses and Bolly Reservoir. All the same, there's a queer taint about them, and they live queer lives." "I can't see that. Frances recites in London in a perfectly open and honest way, and Francis acts in a noble manner as a philanthropist." "I daresay. All the same, I don't trust either brother or sister: they quarrel like mad, too." "Most families do," retorted Vernon drily as he swung himself off the sofa, "and Frances is certainly trying to further her brother's interest by securing him an heiress. That doesn't look as though they quarrelled." "Humph!" said Towton disbelievingly. "Probably the sister has learned that Ida isn't an heiress and wants to do her brother a bad turn. However, it's no use talking, as we get no further. Let us see Hest to-morrow, and then learn, if we can, the whereabouts of Maunders. All depends upon the confession of that scamp. But, I tell you what, Vernon, if our young friend is this poisonous beast of a Spider he will have left England by to-night's mail." "Perhaps. But I could not stop him without consulting Drench, and that means the interference of the police, which we wish to avoid." "It's a damned tangle altogether," muttered Towton savagely, "and--but here comes Bendham to announce dinner. Come and eat. To-morrow we can talk further."