Of course the clerk presumed that this was all right, and passed it over.
Major Grafton took the note carelessly and sauntered into the reading-room, where he deliberately opened it.
"I must see who is writing to Philip," he said to himself. "It may be necessary to suppress the note."
As he read the note, the contents of which are already familiar to the reader, his brow darkened with anger and anxiety.
"It is fortunate that this came into my hands," he reflected. "It would have puzzled the boy, and had he gone to see these people the murder would have been out and probably my plans would have ended in disaster. There is something about the boy that leads me to doubt whether he would second my plans if he suspected what they were. I must devise some means for throwing these people off the scent and keeping the boy in the dark. What shall I do?"
After a little reflection, Major Grafton decided to remove at once to a different hotel. He resolved to do it that very night, lest there should be another attempt made to communicate with his young secretary. He must wait, however, till Ben returned.
Half an hour later Ben entered, and found the major walking impatiently up and down the office.
"I thought you would never come back," he said, impatiently.
"I am sorry if I inconvenienced you, sir," Ben said. "I didn't know you wished me back early."