My heart beat very fast, for I felt sure that something was the matter.
"I can't make it out," he said; "he has gone to Jaffa!"
"Gone to Jaffa!" we all exclaimed together.
"Yes," he said, "the porter tells me, he took a horse early this morning; it must have been soon after you saw him, Miss Lindsay, about ten o'clock the man said, and he went down to Jaffa. The porter thinks he was going back to England. I can't understand it; it is very strange!"
"What can be the matter?" Evelyn said.
"I cannot imagine," said Sir William; "I think he might have let us know. The porter said he did not even take his luggage, but left it to be sent after him by the next steamer. It seems there is a steamer that leaves Jaffa for Alexandria to-night, and I suppose he wanted to catch that."
"Did not the man know why he left in such a hurry?" Evelyn asked.
"No, he did not seem to know. I asked him if a telegram had arrived for Mr. Stanley, and he said he did not think so, he had not taken one in; but the man talked such extraordinary French that I could not understand him very well. I wonder Stanley did not let us know he was going; it was very thoughtless of him."
"Perhaps he will write from Jaffa," Evelyn suggested.
"Well, I hope so," said Sir William; "but I think he might have let us known before this afternoon, and not have kept us waiting here in the sun. I gave him credit for more thoughtfulness. It is a very strange thing; I do not like it at all. Well, what are we to do? Miss Schwarz, we ought not to keep you standing here; will it be too late to go to the tomb?"