He hesitated for some time as to whether he ought not to stay at home so
as to be here when he arrived, but we persuaded him to come with us, and
promised to send him back after luncheon. When we got to Chestow,
however, the wind had become a gale, and it was impossible to shoot
decently. Von Rothe was a little uneasy all the time, I could see, so he
and I and a few of the others returned here, and the rest went up to
Chestow. Just as we arrived Fielding passed us in a great motor car with
his daughter behind. When we got to the house Von Rothe inquired for the
messenger. He was told that he was in Mr. Fielding's sitting-room, but
when we got there we found the door locked, and through the key-hole we
could hear a man groaning. We broke the door in and found Von Rothe's
messenger half unconscious, and a rifled despatch box upon the floor. He
has given us no coherent account of what has happened yet, but it is
quite certain that he was attacked and robbed by Mr. Fielding."
"What was stolen?" Spencer asked. "Money?"
"No, a letter," Lord Runton answered. "Von Rothe says very little, but I
never saw a man so broken up. He has left for London to-night.
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