"
"To Calne!" explained Mr. Carr, while Lord Hartledon turned his head and
took a sharp look at the speaker.
A nod was the only answer. "Got down; thought at first as you do, Mr.
Carr, that man was the same, and was on right track. Went to work in my
own way; was a countryman just come into a snug bit of inheritance,
looking out for a corner of land. Wormed out a bit here and a bit there;
heard this from one, that from another; nearly got an interview with my
Lord Hartledon himself, as candidate for one of his farms."
"Lord Hartledon was not at Calne, I think," interrupted Mr. Carr,
speaking impulsively.
"Know it now; didn't then; and wanted, for own purposes, to get a sight
of him and a word with him. Went to his place: saw a queer old creature
in yellow gauze; saw my lord's wife, too, at a distance; fine woman; got
intimate with butler, named Hedges; got intimate with two or three more;
altogether turned the recent doings of Mr. Gorton inside out."
"Well?" said Mr. Carr, in his surprise.
"Care to hear 'em?" continued the detective, after a moment's pause; and
a feeling crossed Mr. Carr, that if ever he had a deep man to deal with
it was this one, in spite of his apparent simplicity. "Gorton went down
on his errand for Kedge and Reck, writ in pocket for Mr. Elster; had
boasted he knew him. Can't quite make out whether he did or not; any
rate, served writ on Lord Hartledon by mistake.
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