"Not exactly that; I fancy he's one of the fellows turned on for special duty at times."
"And what is he doing at Torquay?"
"A week or so back a man escaped from Dartmoor prison. They've not caught him yet; it's my opinion they never will," he answered with a chuckle.
She felt that peculiar feeling come over that she experienced when she fancied she saw Hector's face looking through the window of the hotel.
"What nonsense!" she thought. "There are hundreds of prisoners there; why should he be the one to escape?"
She was restless, all the same, and wished Brack would tell her more.
"I suppose it is no uncommon thing for a prisoner to escape?" she asked.
"No; they do a bolt sometimes. They're generally caught inside twenty-four hours."
"But this man is not taken?"
"No, and Hackler's been mooning about Torquay looking for him for a week, just as though the fellow would be likely to come here," said Brack.