ch Liverpool at about four in the morning. It was
now eight o'clock, and Foster walked up and down the platform, growling
at his folly, for a minute or two. Then he ascertained that there was
another train for Liverpool in half an hour which would arrive at noon,
and sending the car away, waited about the office until he could get
tickets. After all, he might find Daly before the steamer sailed.

XXII

CARMEN GETS A SHOCK

On his way to Liverpool, Foster tried to review the situation calmly.
His anger was vanishing, but he still felt sore and annoyed with
himself. He had weakly yielded to sentimental pity for an attractive
girl and had paid for it, because she had, no doubt, warned Daly, who
knew from Foster's boldness that he had learned enough to make him
dangerous. The latter grimly resolved that he would not let any
Quixotic folly spoil his plans again. He had been cleverly tricked,
but was not beaten yet, because a study of the steamship advertisements
led him to believe that Daly could not leave Liverpool until the
afternoon. Moreover, the fellow was obviously afraid of him.

Arriving shortly after twelve o'clock, he drove to the Canadian Pacific
office and asked a clerk for a list of the passengers by a steamer
announced to sail that day. He was given a list and saw that Mr.
Andrew Forbes had taken a saloon berth. This indicated that Daly had
booked his passage beforehand.

"I see my friend's on board," Foster remarked. "Have you got a first
and a second-class berth left?"

"We had," the clerk said, smiling, "Unfortunately, the boat has gone."

"Gone!" exclaimed Foster, who got a shock. "Don't your steamers sail
in the afternoon?"

"As a rule," the clerk agreed. "However, this is an extra sailing, and
we sent her off earlier to pick up passengers at Belfast Lough."

Foster said nothing, but left the office with a determined look. A
swift Canadian Northern liner sailed from Bristol two days later and
ought to reach Quebec soon after the other boat. He thought of
telegraphing to secure a berth, but decided not to do so. He had given
Gordon his Carlisle address, which was all that he had promised, and
although he had heard nothing from him, the police might make inquiries
at the steamship offices. On the whole, it seemed safer to leave
Liverpool and he took the first train to Bristol, but got out at
Hereford, which was about half-way. It would be awkward if the police
interfered wit