"Singular time to choose for such a proceeding, wasn't it, Major? After half-past nine o'clock at night."
"It would be if it were any other man and under any other circumstances. But remember! It is but three weeks to Derby Day and every hour of daylight is worth so much gold to us. Farrow knew that he could not spare a moment of it for any purpose; and he is most particular over the shoeing. Will see it done himself and direct the operation personally. Sort of mania with him. Wouldn't let the best man that ever lived take one of the horses over for him. Go himself, no matter what inconvenience it put him to. Farrier at Shepperton Old Cross knows his little 'fads and fancies' and humours them at all times. Would open the forge and fire up for him if it were two o'clock in the morning."
"I see. And did he take Chocolate Maid over there on that night, after all?"
"Yes. Lady Mary and I attended a whist drive at Farmingdale Priory that evening; but her ladyship was taken with a violent headache and we had to excuse ourselves and leave early. It would be about a quarter to eleven o'clock when we returned to the Abbey and met Farrow riding out through the gates on Chocolate Maid. We stopped and spoke to him. He was then going over to the shoer's with the mare."
"How long would it take him to make the journey?"
"Oh, about five-and-twenty minutes--maybe half an hour: certainly not more."
"So then it would be about quarter-past eleven when he arrived at the farrier's? I see. Any idea at what time he got back?"
"Not the ghost of one. In fact, we should never have known that he ever did get back--for nobody heard a sound of his return the whole night long--were it not that when Captain MacTavish crossed the stable-yard at five o'clock in the morning and, seeing the door ajar, looked in, he found Chocolate Maid standing in her stall, the dog dead, and Highland Lassie gone. Of course, Chocolate Maid being there after we had passed Farrow on the road with her was proof that he did return at some hour of the night, you know: though when it was, or why he should have gone out again, heaven alone knows. Personally, you know, I am of the opinion that Highland Lassie was stolen while he was absent; that, on returning he discovered the robbery and, following the trail, went out after the robbers, and, coming up with them, got his terrible injuries that way."