"I fear you must. But let him be circumspect. It is not necessary to take any steps against her until we are tolerably sure of the reason for her sudden flight. When do they hold the inquest on Warrender?"
"To-morrow."
"Well, I'll be back to-night and tell you what I've done." And Alan rose to go.
"One moment, my dear boy. What about Sophy?"
"I've seen her, and, of course, I was judicious in what I told her. She knows nothing about the loss of the key and my suspicions of Brown, although, funnily enough, she herself suspects him."
"Bless me! on what grounds can she do that?"
"Oh, on the purely feminine grounds that she suspects him. She declares she will not marry me until her father's body is discovered."
"Very right; very proper. I quite agree with her. You should start your married life with an absolutely clean sheet, Alan."
The young man nodded, and as he left the inn he delivered himself of one warning.
"Whatever you do, keep your eye on Joe Brill," he said significantly.