Yet there came nothing
very weighty from them; he did not even inquire for lodgings, as she
half hoped that he would.

"Does the architect in charge of the works at the church lodge here? Is
Mr Westray at home?" was all he said.

"He does live here," she answered, "but is out just now, and we do not
expect him back till six. I think you will probably find him at the
church if you desire to see him."

"I have just come from the minster, but could see nothing of him there."

It served the stranger right that he should have missed the architect,
and been put to the trouble of walking as far as Bellevue Lodge, for his
inquiries must have been very perfunctory. If he had taken the trouble
to ask either organist or clerk, he would have learnt at once where Mr
Westray was.

"I wonder if you would allow me to write a note. If you could give me a
sheet of paper I should be glad to leave a message for him."

Anastasia gave him a glance from head to foot, rapid as an instantaneous
exposure. "Tramps" were a permanent bugbear to the ladies of Cullerne,
and a proper dread of such miscreants had been instilled into Anastasia
Joliffe by her aunt. It was, moreover, a standing rule of the house
that no strange men were to be admitted on any pretence, unless there
was some man-lodger at home, to grapple with them if occasion arose.
But the glance was sufficient to confirm her first verdict--he _was_ a
gentleman; there surely could not be such things as gentlemen-tramps.
So she answered "Oh, certainly," and showed him into Mr Sharnall's
room, because that was on the ground-floor.

The visitor gave a quick look round the room. If he had ever been in
the house before, Anastasia would have thought he was trying to identify
something that he remembered; but there was little to be seen except an
open piano, and the usual litter of music-books and manuscript paper.

"Thank you," he said; "can I write here? Is this Mr Westray's room?"

"No, another gentleman lodges here, but you can use this room to write
in. He is out, and would not mind in any case; he is a friend of Mr
Westray."

"I had rather write in Mr Westray's room if I may. You see I have
nothing to do with this other gentleman, and it might be awkward if he
came in and found me in his apartment."

It seemed to Anastasia that the information that the room in which they
stood was not Mr Westray's had in some way or other removed an anxiety
from the stranger's mind.