“Did she leave the city because of that dismissal from your office?”
Gage strode up and down the room.
“That’s it! I don’t know. It might be. I was in Chicago. My partner took it on himself to let her go. How deeply he wounded her I don’t know. I was appalled when I heard what he had done. I am going to make reparation to her in some way, I assure you. It’s the sort of thing that is hard to repair but I shall do my best when I know where she is.”
“Why did they talk about her in connection with you, Flandon, if there’s nothing to it?”
“Fools. I shan’t contradict them.”
“It might be wise to contradict them.”
“No.” A gleam of hysteria was in Gage’s smile. “Let them say what they please as long as it doesn’t hurt Miss Thorstad.”
“It may do that.”
“Then we stop it. But there’s no point in statements now that there is no possible connection between our names. The thing is to find her if you feel she ought not to be left alone.”
“Why should she be left alone? She may be in distress.”