small wood, I came upon the body of a child by the roadside. At first, I
thought she was dead, and while examining her, I noticed on her neck some
marks that looked like those of teeth."

"Some wild dog, perhaps?" put in Sir Nathaniel.

"Possibly, sir, though I think not--but listen to the rest of my news. I
glanced around, and to my surprise, I noticed something white moving
among the trees. I placed the child down carefully, and followed, but I
could not find any further traces. So I returned to the child and
resumed my examination, and, to my delight, I discovered that she was
still alive. I chafed her hands and gradually she revived, but to my
disappointment she remembered nothing--except that something had crept up
quietly from behind, and had gripped her round the throat. Then,
apparently, she fainted."

"Gripped her round the throat! Then it cannot have been a dog."

"No, sir, that is my difficulty, and explains why I brought you out here,
where we cannot possibly be overheard. You have noticed, of course, the
peculiar sinuous way in which Lady Arabella moves--well, I feel certain
that the white thing that I saw in the wood was the mistress of Diana's
Grove!"

"Good God, boy, be careful what you say."

"Yes, sir, I fully realise the gravity of my accusation, but I feel
convinced that the marks on the child's throat were human--and made by a
woman."