"But I cannot get any reply!"
"It is because the receivers have been hung up by whoever called you. I assure you that is so."
"What was my caller's number?"
"I cannot tell you that, monsieur—the rules forbid it."
Fandor knew this quite well, so he did not insist further. But, as he turned away from the telephone, a dull anger smouldered within him.
"Who was this mysterious individual who had called Elizabeth twice over the telephone, and then, no sooner put into communication with her, had refused to talk to her?"
Fandor felt nervous, anxious, exasperated by this incident; but it would never do to trouble his young friend to no good purpose. He led her back to the garden.
"Where were we in our talk, monsieur?" asked Elizabeth.
With a considerable effort, the journalist collected his thoughts.
"We were discussing the mysterious paper found at your brother's, mademoiselle."