"The following day, I think."
"Then he has been at Foxwood over long. More than long enough to have found Salter if Salter's there, Mr. Burtenshaw."
"That depends upon circumstances, Sir Karl," replied the detective, with a wary smile. "I could tell you of a case where an escaped man was being looked after for twelve months before he was unearthed--and he had been close at hand all the while. They have as many ruses as a fox, these fugitives."
"Nevertheless, as Tatton has not yet found Salter, I should consider it a tolerably sure proof that Salter is not at Foxwood."
Mr. Burtenshaw threw a penetrating gaze at his visitor. "Will you undertake to give me your word, Sir Karl, that you do not know Philip Salter to be at Foxwood?"
"On my word and honour I do not know him to be there," said Karl, decisively. "I should think he is not there."
He spoke but in accordance with his opinion. The conviction had been gaining upon him the last few minutes that he must have been in error in suspecting Smith to be the man. How else was it, if he was the man, that Tatton had not found him?
"Salter is there," said the detective--and Karl pricked up his ears to hear the decisive assertion. "We have positive information from Tatton that he is on his trail:--I am not sure but he has seen him. For the first week or two of Tatton's sojourn there, he could discover no trace whatever of the man or his hiding-place; but accident gave him a clue, and he has found both: found his hiding-place and found him."
"Then why does he not lay his hands upon him?" returned Karl, veering round again to the impression that it must be Smith.
"It is only a question of time, Sir Karl. No doubt he has good reasons for his delay. To know where a man is hiding may be one thing; to capture him quite another. Too much haste sometimes mars the game."