"Very few. She has had a visitor lately—a gentleman. He stayed a few days, and then left suddenly."
"Young or old?"
"Elderly, clean-shaven, and grey hair. She used to call him Digby."
"Digby!" I echoed. "When was he here? Tell me quickly!"
"Oh, about four days ago, I think. Yes—he went away last Sunday night."
"Tell me all about him," I urged her. "He's a friend of mine."
"Oh, then perhaps I ought not to say anything," said the girl a little confused.
"On the contrary, you will be doing me the very greatest service if you tell me all that you know concerning him," I declared. "Don't think that anything you say will annoy me, for it won't. He was my friend, but he served me a very evil trick."
"Well, sir," she replied, "he arrived here very late one night, and my mistress sat with him in the drawing-room nearly all night talking to him. I crept down to try and hear what was going on, but they were speaking so low, almost whispering, so that I could catch only a few words."
"What did you hear?" I inquired breathlessly.