"Isn't she well?" asked Allison, looking at the tutor in some amaze.
"I cannot say as to that, sir. Miss Allison was in conversation with her aunt awhile."
"Odd," said Allison, irritably. "These women are queer. Excuse me a moment, will you?" And, rising, he left the room.
They felt, rather than heard, that he had gone up to make his own inquiries. His voice presently was audible, growling in his sister's boudoir. Elmendorf had disappeared and gone they knew not whither.
"Well, it's time for me to be off," said Sloan, consulting his watch, "yet I don't want to leave without saying good-night."
"As for me, I have to go," said Forrest, "because of an engagement."
"Oh, you can go any time, as you merely dropped in to call on the ladies; but I dined here. Now—— Excuse me, Mr. Forrest, I've only known you a day or two, but you've interested me, so to speak. You stick to Allison, and you'll be of infinite use to him in case of trouble here. He gets off his base sometimes. Stick to him, my lad, and your fortune's made."
Ten minutes later, when John Allison, with vexation and trouble on his brow, came down to the library, his guests were gone. A few lines on a card explained. Each had engagements. "No wonder," said Mrs. Lawrence, joining him presently. "I know what his engagement is, and Mr. Forrest seemed to know what was coming."
Impatiently, irritably, the master of the house turned away. "I want to hear no more of this. Of course, if it's true, I shall know how to act. I'll—I'll go to the library in the morning, early."
This he did, and apparently to some purpose, for when he saw Mr. Forrest at the club at noon he turned his back upon him and moved quickly away.