"We both suffer, Lizzie," she said gravely; "I am glad now that I came. Shall I tell your mother anything?"
"No! no! I will write what's necessary. You can say that I am in a good family, and that some day I shall visit her."
Lizzie looked appealingly at Clara as if she would have her remain longer, but no good end was to be accomplished by prolonging the interview, and Clara withdrew.
As she stepped into the waiting carriage, she beckoned to Litizki who stood near the next corner.
"I am going to the hotel," she said, "and as soon as I can I shall take the train for Boston. Will you get in?"
"No, thank you, Miss Hilman," replied Litizki, abashed. "I will return by street-car. If you could let me know what train you intend to take, I should like it."
"There's a train at noon. If I can see my uncle I will take that."
She was driven away, and Litizki, head down, gloomy, more and more impressed with the conviction that Poubalov was not only responsible for Strobel's disappearance, but that he also plotted evil to Clara, slowly left the vicinity. When he was well out of the way, Alexander Poubalov left the window of a room he had hired two hours earlier, directly across the street from the house where Lizzie White lived, and came out upon the sidewalk. After a quick glance up and down the avenue, he went over the way, rang the bell, and asked to see Miss White.