"Alfred and Raggerton
went out after an early breakfast, to cycle over to Guildford on some
business or other, and they have not returned yet. The catastrophe was
discovered soon after they left. The maid went to his room with a cup of
tea, and was astonished to find that his bed had not been slept in. She
ran down in alarm and reported to the butler, who went up at once and
searched the room; but he could find no trace of the missing one, except
my note, until it occurred to him to look in the cupboard. As he opened
the door he got rather a start from his own reflection in the mirror;
and then he saw poor Fred hanging from one of the pegs near the end of
the closet, close to the glass. It's a melancholy affair--but here is
the house, and here is the butler waiting for us. Mr. Alfred is not back
yet, then, Stevens?"
"No, sir." The white-faced, frightened-looking man had evidently been
waiting at the gate from distaste of the house, and he now walked back
with manifest relief at our arrival. When we entered the house, he
ushered us without remark up on to the first-floor, and, preceding us
along a corridor, halted near the end.
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