Scarborough. Twice he walked along Charles Street, and looked at the
spot on which he had stood on the night before in what might have been
deadly conflict. Then he told himself that he had not been in the least
wounded, that the ferocious maddened man had attempted to do no more
than shake him, that his coat had suffered and not himself, and that in
return he had certainly struck the captain with all his violence. There
were probably some regrets, but he said not a word on the subject to any
one, and so he left London.

For three or four days nothing was heard of the captain, nor was
anything said about him. He had lodgings in town, at which he was no
doubt missed, but he also had quarters at the barracks, at which he did
not often sleep, but to which it was thought possible on the next
morning that he might have betaken himself. Before the evening of that
day had come he had no doubt been missed, but in the world at large no
special mention was made of his absence for some time. Then, among the
haunts which he was known to frequent, questions began to be asked as to
his whereabouts, and to be answered by doubtful assertions that nothing
had been seen or heard of him for the last sixty or seventy hours.

It must be remembered that at this time Captain Scarborough was still
the subject of universal remark, because of the story told as to his
birth. His father had declared him to be illegitimate, and had thereby
robbed all his creditors. Captain Scarborough was a man quite remarkable
enough to insure universal attention for such a tale as this; but now,
added to his illegitimacy was his disappearance. There was at first no
idea that he had been murdered. It became quickly known to all the world
that he had, on the night in question, lost a large sum of money at a
whist-club which he frequented, and, in accordance with the custom of
the club, had not paid the money on the spot.