The House Of The Bears Read Online Free PDF Page A

sir. Sir Claude stopped him, sir. I was there. He picked up a sword and thrust it towards his chest, sir; it caused a wound. Hardly a scratch, but it caused a wound. Sir Claude is afraid that he has gone out to – to try again, sir.’
    It was easier now to understand why Markham had been angry. This affair, in his opinion, was none of Palfrey’s business. This was a proud family, and it was in grievous trouble.
    The groom began to talk again. It had been three o’clock before he and Sir Claude had taken Sir Rufus to his room and left him, convinced that he was then safe. He, the servant, had stayed outside the door; the master had not gone out that way.
    He had left by the window, which they had found open. The groom on night duty had been by the gates, and had known nothing of the earlier trouble. Immediately the man had returned, the flares had been lighted.
    ‘Why?’ asked Palfrey.
    ‘To guide the search party and the master, if he has lost his way,’ said the groom. ‘On such a night it is impossible to keep your bearings, sir, but you can see the flares for many miles.’ He turned, and Palfrey, looking round, saw the faint glow of the flares; they seemed to be still now, but he could imagine them roaring and dancing.
    The flares were lighted whenever any member of the household was out after dark. The groom took that as a matter of course.
    Palfrey said: ‘You’ve been very helpful. What is your name?’
    ‘Ruegg,’ said the man. ‘Ruegg, sir. We will need to ride single file again now.’
    During the conversation, Palfrey had almost forgotten their quest. Now he looked about him, but could see nothing. He was puzzled by the continued silence of the hounds. He was puzzled, also, by Ruegg’s frankness. Why had the man chosen to talk so freely? It was on his mind so much that he called out and asked.
    ‘You are a doctor, sir. A doctor might be needed today.’
    ‘Ah, yes.’
    ‘And’ – a pause –’it’s my opinion you saved Miss Loretta’s life last night, sir. But for you, they would have lifted her. I was against lifting her.’
    ‘And rightly,’ said Palfrey.
    Towards the right, he saw a faint trace of light, not from the sky but at ground level. He watched it grow brighter. It was a long way off, but soon he identified it. There were two cars on the road with headlights full on. Ruegg said nothing. Palfrey wondered if the police had started out from Corbin.
    ‘Look, sir!’
    There was a note of excitement in Ruegg’s voice. Palfrey thought he had seen the cars, but the man was pointing to the left. Palfrey followed his gaze. Several torch-lights were flashing. Now, faint across the dark land, they could hear the baying of the hounds, a deep, excited sound which kept on and on.
    ‘They’ve found something,’ said Ruegg. ‘It’s by Mylem Pond. We’re near a road now, sir. We can gallop.’ In a few moments they left the marsh and Palfrey felt the hard surface of a road beneath him. His horse was eager, with smooth, easy movements, a lengthening stride and then a full gallop; the hoof beats were loud and drowned the sound of the hounds at first. Gradually they drew nearer to the lights and to the baying; nearer still, and Ruegg called over his shoulder: ‘Slow down, sir. Slow down!’
    Palfrey drew level with him. ‘If questions are asked,’ he said, ‘you can say that I started off and you were forced to follow me, in case I got lost.’
    Thank you, sir.’
    Now they could see trees which shone in the light of a dozen torches. The horses were standing free; men on foot were clustered by the edge of a pond, some holding the straining hounds. Palfrey could not identify any of the people until he dismounted and drew nearer. Then he saw that Markham, Gerry and the woman were watching the men with the hounds, men whom Palfrey had not seen before.
    Markham called out: ‘Get into the water, men!’
    ‘Aye, sir.’ Four men joined hands, left the hounds together at the side of the pool,