To seal the conviction that the discovery had indeed been made,
permission was given to any one who chose to apply to it the test of
his own person, but of this only Shafto the groom availed himself.
It was enough, however: he disappeared, and while the group which
saw him enter the opening was yet anxiously waiting his return by
the way he had gone, having re-entered by the western gate he came
upon them from behind, to the no small consternation of those of
weaker nerves, and so settled the matter for ever.
As soon as curiosity was satisfied, lord Herbert gave orders which,
in the course of a few days, rendered the drain as impassable to
manor dog as the walls of the keep itself.
In the middle of the previous night, Marquis had returned, and
announced himself by scratching and whining for admittance at the
door of Dorothy's room. She let him in, but not until the morning
discovered that he had a handkerchief tied round his neck, and in it
a letter addressed to herself.
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