Purdie knew something had happened as soon as he was admitted to the
house. Levendale's butler, who had accompanied his master to the
Highlands, and had recognized Purdie on his calling the previous day, came
hurrying to him in the hall, as soon as the footman opened the door.
"You haven't seen Mr. Levendale since you were here yesterday, sir?" he
asked, in a low, anxious voice.
"Seen Mr. Levendale? No!" answered Purdie. "Why--what do you mean?"
The butler looked round at a couple of footmen who hung about the door.
"Don't want to make any fuss about it, Mr. Purdie," he whispered, "though
it's pretty well known in the house already. The fact is, sir, Mr.
Levendale's missing!"
"Missing?" exclaimed Purdie. "Since when?"
"Only since last night, sir," replied the butler, "but the circumstances
are queer. He dined out with some City gentlemen, somewhere, last night,
and he came home about ten o'clock. He wasn't in the house long. He went
into his laboratory--he spends a lot of time in experimenting in
chemistry, you know, sir--and he called me in there. 'I'm going out again
for an hour, Grayson,' he says.
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