"Go to Sir Mark Frayne's quarters, and ask him, with my compliments, to
be good enough to step here. _Audi alteram partem_, gentlemen. You
have an impostor in your band."
"We shall see."
Five minutes later the servant returned.
"Well?"
"Sir Mark Frayne left the mess-table, sir, when the news came of that
man being found in the hop-field, and went to lie down, sir; but his man
says he went out about a quarter of an hour after _in mufti_, sir, and
with a little Gladstone bag. Sergeant at the station, sir--provost--saw
him leave by the up train at eight."
"That will do," said his master, and the colonel and the major rose to
go.
"Looks bad, gentlemen," continued the colonel of the 310th. "A nasty
scandal to have in one's corps!"
"Yes; but I don't think we want any more confirmation. That Gladstone
bag and the train are enough."
"And if he had been a gentleman," said the major hotly, "he would have
had the door of his quarters locked."
"How will it all end?" muttered the colonel. "Ah, well! there are black
sheep in every flock, even if they hide their wool under our uniform."