“I understand, sir. Mr Anson will walk in advance with me, and you can follow as you please. There is no need for Mr West to walk with us. I know the way!”
“Of course!” snarled Anson. “Mr Ingleborough’s doing, I suppose. Then I have been watched.”
“Yes, my doing,” said the person named. “As soon as I suspected you of illicit dealing I kept an eye upon you and told Mr Norton here what I thought.”
“Cowardly, sneaking cur!” cried Anson, grinding his teeth.
“No, sir,” cried the director sternly: “faithful servant of the company.”
“Where are your proofs that I am not?” cried Anson fiercely.
“Not found yet,” said the officer; “but with all your cunning I daresay we shall trace them.”
“Go on,” said Anson. “I’m ready for you.”
The next minute the whole party were straggling through the camp-like town towards the outskirts, to gather together at the very ordinary shed-like house of mud wall and fluted corrugated-iron roofing, where the wife of one of the men at the mine stared in wonder at the party, and then looked in awe at her lodger, her eyes very wide open and startled as she grasped what the visit meant.
“Oh, Mr Anson, what have you been a-doing of?” she cried, and burst into tears.