"She walks out every day at three o'clock with her pupil--"
"Her pupil! Lizzie Ponsford's pupil! My eye!"
"With her pupil," repeated Sir Charles sternly, "in the chestnut avenue leading from the lodge-gate. A tall woman with very large eyes, and crisp wavy °hair over her forehead; a peculiar-looking woman--you couldn't mistake her."
"All right! As I go out of the lodge-gate now, I'll just say a few words to the old lady that keeps it, that she may know me again--don't you see?--and not be surprised at my coming in and out. And now, as I shall probably have to hang about here for two or three days, where can I put up?"
"You mustn't remain here in the house--"
"Lor' bless you, that would never do! isn't there a public near?"
"There is the Mitford Arms, within a quarter of a mile of the lodge."
"I saw it; the carrier's-cart which brought me over from Torquay stopped there. That'll do. I'll be a littery gent gettin' up information about the old county families, or an artist sketchin'--that'll do. Now give me a week clear: if nothing's done by then, you'll have spent ten pound very badly, and I shall have lost my time. But if within that time--and it might be to-morrow or any day--you find she's clean gone, you've got the address, and you'll send the cheque to it?"
"You may rely on me."
"I do thoroughly. Now how am I to get out? It wouldn't do for you to be seen with me--my togs, though just the sort of thing for the littery gent, ain't very swell."