or twenty miles round will know of my return by this
time. Meanwhile I must go back and possibly find out some thing from
Oliphant himself."

Captain Oliphant, however, was in no mood for confidences. The sudden
return of his co-trustee was extremely unwelcome at this juncture--
indeed so manifestly unwelcome that Mr Armstrong was convinced he had
come back not a day too soon.

The captain professed great annoyance and indignation at what he termed
the desertion of his ward, and demanded to know when the tutor proposed
to return to his duties.

"In fact, sir," said he, "I desire to know what brings you here in this
uncalled-for manner."

"Business, my dear sir," replied the tutor. "It need not incommode
you."

"Your proper place is with your pupil. Where have you left him?"

"In London, prosecuting a search which neither you nor I consider to be
very hopeful. I should not be surprised to see him back any day."

"And may I ask the nature of the very pressing business which forms the
pretext of this abrupt return? Am I to understand you and my ward have
quarrelled?"

"No, sir; we are excellent friends. It's getting late; I'll say good
night."

"By the way," said he at the door, "while I am here, there are a few
small matters connected with the accounts which seemed to my unpractised
eye, when I went through Pottinger's books, to require some little
elucidation. If you have an hour or so to spare to-morrow, I should
like to go through them with you. Good night."

He did not stay to notice the sudden pallor of his colleague's face, nor
did he overhear the gasp which greeted the closing of the door.

The captain did not go to bed that night. For an hour he sat motionless
in his chair, staring blankly into the fire; then, with a sudden access
of industry, he went to the safe, and producing account-books, bank
books, cheques, and other documents, spent some troubled hours over
their contents. That done, for another hour he paced the floor,
dismally smoking a cigar. Finally, when the early March dawn filtered
through the blinds, he quitted the house, and surprised Mr Pottinger by
an unexpected visit at breakfast-time. Thence he proceeded to the bank;
and after transacting his business there, returned easier in mind, but
exhausted in body, to the seclusion of his room at Maxfield.

The tutor meanwhile was abroad on horseback with Tom and Jill. The
three took a scamper over the downs, and returned by