She left him, and walked from the restaurant with a quick step. Harvey
drank a little more wine, and made a pretence of tasting the dish
before him, then paid his bill and departed. He had now no intention
whatever of going to hear Alma play; but he wished to know whether
certain persons were among her audience, and, as he could not stand to
watch the people entering, he took the only other means of setting his
mind at rest--this was to drive forthwith to Oxford and Cambridge
Mansions.

On his knocking at the Carnabys' door, a servant informed him that
neither her master nor her mistress was at home. Something unusual in
the girl's manner at once arrested his attention; she was evidently
disinclined to say anything beyond the formula of refusal, but with
this Harvey would not be satisfied. He mentioned his name, and urged
several inquiries, on the plea that he had urgent business with his
friends. All he could gather was that Carnaby had left home early this
morning, and that Mrs. Carnaby was out of town; it grew more evident
that the girl shrank from questions.

'Has anyone been here before me, anxious to see them?'

'I don't know, sir; I can't tell you anything else.'

'And you have no idea when either of them will be back?'

'I don't know at all; I don't know anything about it.'

He turned away, as if to descend the stairs; but, as there was no sound
of a closing door, he glanced back, and caught a glimpse of the
servant, who stood looking after him. No sooner did their eyes meet
than the girl drew hastily in and the door was shut.

Beset by a grave uneasiness, he walked into Edgware Road, and followed
the thoroughfare to its end at the Marble Arch. One thing seemed
certain: neither Carnaby nor his wife could be at Prince's Hall. It was
equally certain that only a serious cause could have prevented their
attendance. The servant manifestly had something to conceal; under
ordinary circumstances she would never have spoken and behaved in that
strange way.

At the Marble Arch boys were crying newspapers. He bought two, and in
each of them found the sensational headlines; but the reports added
nothing to that he had already seen; all, it was clear, came from the
same source.

He turned into the Park, and walked aimlessly by crosspaths hither and
thither. Time had to be killed; he tried to read his papers, but every
item of news or comment disgusted him, and he threw the sheets away.
When he came out at Knight