night's
rest would probably restore her completely.

I was not so sure that such would be the case, and when she had retired
I thought it well to take the Colonel into his study and give him as
full an account as I could of all that had led up to the fainting fit.
He listened to my story with attention, and when I had done, though I
could plainly see that he thought his daughter's fears were due to her
own morbid fancy, yet he agreed with me that it would be well that she
should have a change of scene at the earliest possible moment.

After arriving at this decision I determined to at once seek out
Mannering, and demand from him some explanation of his conduct, for I
could not conceive that Evie's story was entirely the outcome of her
imagination. It was a delicate subject to discuss, yet I did not
hesitate. I was in no humour to mince matters. My anger, though I had
kept it well under control hitherto, only needed the slightest fanning
to bring it to a white heat, and I longed whole-heartedly that Mannering
would afford me some excuse for giving physical expression to my
feelings.

I walked up to his front door, and knocked in a manner to denote with
sufficient distinctiveness that the mood of the knocker was the
imperative. I could see by the lights within that the inmates of the
house had not retired to rest, but I had to repeat my summons before
there was any response. Then I heard footsteps within, and the door
opening an inch or two, a voice inquired who was there.

"Is Mr. Mannering in?" I demanded.

"Mr. Sutgrove, is it?" replied the voice, and upon my answering in the
affirmative, the door was thrown open, and I saw the two maidservants
standing in the hall.

"I beg your pardon, sir," said the parlourmaid. "We didn't expect any
one at this time of night."

"That's all right," I answered. "Can I see Mr. Mannering?"

"He's gone away for a day or two, sir," said the girl.

"That's very sudden, isn't it?" I asked. "I saw him this afternoon."

"Yes, sir. He said nothing about it to us until after dinner. Then he
packed his handbag and went away on his motor."

"It's a confounded nuisance," I remarked. "I wanted to see him on
important business. Did he say where he was going?"

"He said Cromer, sir, but he did not leave any address." Then, after a
momentary hesitation, she added, "Is--is anything wrong?"

I looked at her keenly. She dropped her eyes, and I could see there was
something on her mind.