"Captain Ross?" said the old man, interrogatively.
"The same, at your service, sir—Mr. Rockharrt, I presume?" said the visitor with a bow.
"That's my name. Sit down," said the Iron King, pointing to one chair for his visitor and taking another for himself.
"So you were the last visitor to Mr. Rothsay, eh?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, can you give any information regarding the disappearance of my grandson-in-law?"
"No, sir; but learning that I had been advertised for, I have come forward."
"At rather a late date, upon my soul and honor! Where have you been all this time?"
"At sea. When I called upon Mr. Rothsay, it was to congratulate him on his position and to bid him good-by. I was on the eve of sailing for India, and, in fact, left the city by the night's express and sailed the next morning. I think we must have been out of sight of land before the news of the governor's disappearance was spread abroad."
"What explanation can you give of his sudden disappearance?"