“Unfortunately I am unable to do so. He left me in Perth one month ago to-day and was to meet me at this hotel at eight o’clock this evening, in fact I was waiting for him when I received the message from you.”
“A remarkable coincidence,” she murmured, with a perceptible shade of doubt in the tone which irritated me.
“Another question, where did Mr. Vail go to from Perth?”
“I have not the slightest idea.”
“He mentioned no place, merely stated that he would meet you in one month?”
“Yes.”
“Who beside Mr. Vail and the purchaser was cognizant of the fact that you had sold the opals and received a handsome sum for them?”
“No person, the purchaser requested that no mention should be made of the transaction, alleging that if it became known that such a large quantity of opals had been thrown on the market it would depreciate the value of the gems.”
“What became of the purchaser, may I ask?”
“He left the following day for Albany and informed us that it was his intention to proceed to Sydney and take the first Messargeries steamer for France.”