I was about to give it up and go, when I heard a cab drive up to the door and, looking up, I saw Alfonso get out. He saw me about the same time and we bowed. I do not think he even tried to avoid me.
"I haven't seen you for some time," I remarked, searching his face, which seemed to me to be paler than it had been.
"No," he replied. "I haven't been feeling very well lately and I've been running up into the country now and then to a quiet hotel—a sort of rest cure, I suppose you would call it. How are you? How is Senorita Inez?"
"Very well," I replied, wondering whether he had said what he did in the hope of establishing a complete alibi for the events of the night before.
Briefly I told him what had happened, omitting reference to the vocaphone and our real part in it.
"That is terrible," he exclaimed. "Oh, if she would only allow me to take care of her—I would take her back to our own country, where she would be safe, far away from these people who seek to prey on all of us."
He paced up and down nervously, and I could see that my information had added nothing to his peace of mind, though, at the same time, he had betrayed nothing on his part.
"I was just passing through," I said finally, looking at my watch, "and happened to see you. I hope your mother is well?"
"As well as is to be expected, surrounded by people who watch every act," he replied, I thought with a rap at us for having Norton about and so active, though I could not be sure.
We separated, and I hastened back to the laboratory to report to Craig that Alfonso was rusticating for his health.