The Brand carriage stopped opposite Lawyer Davenport's office door, and Symonds dismounted.
"Why," exclaimed Miss Walsingham, opening the window, "I do believe the door is locked. Surely he has gone away very early in the morning."
Symonds rapped and tried the door—peeped through the dusty window, and found that Miss Walsingham was right.
"We shall go up to his house," she said, pulling up the window.
Arriving at Mr. Davenport's neat and commodious bachelor's abode, Symonds, after inquiry, reported that the lawyer had left on "sudden business this morning for Wales; they don't know where or when he's coming back, but you will hear all about it from Dr. Gay; which was the message left for you."
Again Margaret leaned back in her seat. A look of bitter disappointment and even terror was depicted upon her face.
Once more they rolled into Regis over the slushy snow, and paused at the doctor's house.
Former disappointments had made her so nervous and fearful that she dropped the window and bent forward the better to hear the report.
"Here's Miss Walsingham, to see Dr. Gay. Is he in?"
"No," answered the boy in buttons, "he's away."