“I am glad you have returned, Marie,” he said, as he assisted the girl to get in; “a man has been asking for you.”
“Who is he?”
“An Indian gentleman called——”
“Morad-Bakche,” interrupted Alan breathlessly, and with a glance at Dick. “What does he want with Marie?”
“Perhaps he has learned that I went to Rotherhithe,” murmured Marie, but too low for the vicar to hear.
“I don’t know what he wants,” said Mr. Fuller rather irritably, “he is stopping at The Red Fox, I hear, having come down this morning. He called at The Monastery to see Marie, and not finding her there, he came to the vicarage. He declined to believe that Marie was in town, although Henny told him so. However I convinced him.”
“You didn’t say why Marie had gone up, father,” said Alan, in alarm.
“No no. Why should I? I simply said that Marie would return, and Mr. Bakche is on the watch.”
“Don’t see him, Marie,” said Alan quickly. “Dick and I can interview him privately and learn what he has come about. And father, Marie will sleep to-night at our house, since she is afraid to remain at The Monastery. I and Latimer stay there.
“Why?” asked the vicar sharply.