“This is a fool trick,” he thought suddenly. “I can’t stay out here. I’ll go back and—and simply not answer her.”
II
A taxi came round the corner. The wheels, spinning over the road, sounded like rain. He turned back.
“Sir!” cried a voice. “Please!”
The taxi had stopped, and a woman was leaning out of the window. Was she calling him? It must be so, for there was no one else in sight.
“Can you please tell me where Mrs. Rice lives?” said the woman.
“Er—no,” said he. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know any one of that name here.[Pg 227]”
He spoke a little stiffly, because he did not like that voice. It was musical enough, but lacking in calm. She was not discouraged, however.
“If you’d just please look at this—card,” she said. “Perhaps I’ve read the name wrong.”
Now Edward was frankly suspicious. He did not want to approach that taxi, but he had not the moral courage to refuse. He would have preferred to be set upon by bandits, to be blackjacked and robbed, rather than show his reluctance. He stepped off the curb and crossed the road. He knew that something was going to happen.