"No, sir," replied the man, gravely, "but this——"
"Ask Purvis to come in."
A few moments later a young man with a prominent nose and a long chin came into the room.
"Good morning," said he. "I understand from Fuller that you wanted me last night."
"It did not matter, as things turned out."
"My orders," said Purvis, "were to follow any of the household. When Drevenoff left the place I got after him according to instructions. But," with a disgusted air, "would you believe it?—I lost him."
If Ashton-Kirk was annoyed at this, he did not show it.
"How was that?" he inquired.
"He boarded the train at Eastbury," explained Purvis, "and I did the same. For the life of me I don't know how he did it, for I thought I had my eye on him all along; but when the train reached the city, he was not on it. Perhaps he noticed me and took a desperate chance while the train was moving."