As the fugitive hurried to the station, he was aware of fleet footsteps pattering behind him! he turned to find not Lena, but Nancy Brander, breathless, bareheaded, and wrapped in a long cloak.
"I was dressing," she panted, "don't look at me! but I could not let you go, without a word. Here, I know the way, this is the ticket place, you will write, won't you?" she continued in gasps, "and be sure, and let me know what happens!"
"Yes, of course I'll write, without fail."
"Tom comes up next week, and if Uncle Fred is still furious, remember that we will shelter you. Ah, you are just off—good-bye—and the best of luck!"
The last friendly face that Mallender beheld was the plain visage of Nancy, battling between smiles and tears, as she waved him a vigorous adieu.
CHAPTER XIV
In a totally different spirit to that in which he had quitted them, Mallender descended to the plains; as in the silvery moonlight, he caught occasional glimpses of the old road, by which he and Nancy had ridden up that very morning, his heart felt sick. He was turning his back on all his friends; on Lena, on a perfect climate, and retracing his steps to sweltering heat, and an unknown fate. Nevertheless he assured himself that if in one sense he was going the wrong way, he was actually on the right road at last!
Once more in Madras, Mallender, accompanied by his two retainers, put up at Spencer's Hotel, and as soon as he had rested, and recovered from the long double journey, set out for 805 Pophams Broadway; here he sent in his card, and asked to see the principal.
After some delay, he was ushered upstairs into a large dingy office; its shelves were packed with immense ledgers, and tin boxes; heaps of dusty receipts were filed, and stacked on the top of clumsy presses, the whole place reeked of an odour peculiar to Southern India—a combination of betel nut, cocoanut oil, aniseed, with a dash of ground coffee. The visitor was received by an elderly native, with dignified manners, who wore an enormous white turban of the very finest muslin, and was seated at a roll-top desk. In the background, were clerks in velvet skull caps, each and all exhibiting an appearance of extraordinary industry.