st imprudence, and you'll only harm
yourself.'

'Tell me that date.'

She named it.

'I can't stay longer, and I advise you to get away. If you want to
write to me, you can do so without fear; my letters are quite safe.
Address to Mrs. Lant. And remember----!'

With a last significant look she turned and left him. Hugh, mentally
repeating the date he had learnt, walked back to the cab, and told the
man to drive him to the nearest railway station, whichever it was.

When he reached home, some four hours had elapsed since his encounter
with Mrs. Maskell (or Mrs. Lant) at Waterloo; it seemed to him a whole
day. He had forgotten all about his purposed journey to Weymouth. One
sole desire had possession of him to stand face to face with Sibyl, and
to _see_ her innocence, rather than hear it, as soon as he had brought
his tongue to repeat that foul calumny. He would then know how to deal
with the creature who thought to escape him by slandering his wife.

He let himself in with his latchkey, and entered the drawing-room; it
was vacant. He looked into other rooms; no one was there. He rang, and
a servant came.

'Has Mrs. Carnaby been out long?'

She had left, was the reply, at half-past two. Whilst she sat at
luncheon a telegram arrived for her, and, soon after, she prepared to
go out, saying that she would not return tonight.

Not return tonight? Hugh scarcely restrained an exclamation, and had
much ado to utter his next words.

'Did she mention where she was going?'

'No, sir. I took the dressing-bag down to the cab, and the cabman was
told to drive to the post-office.'

'Very well. That will do.'

'Shall you dine at home, sir?'

'Dine? No.'

Sibyl gone away for the night? Where could she have gone to? He began
to look about for the telegram she had received; it might be lying
somewhere, and possibly would explain her departure. In the waste-paper
basket he found the torn envelope lying at the top; but the despatch
itself was not to be discovered.

Gone for the night? and just when he was supposed to have left town?
The cabman told to drive to the post-office? This might be for the
purpose of despatching a reply. Yet no; the reply would have been
written at once and sent by the messenger in the usual way.
Unless--unless Sibyl, for some reason, preferred to send the message
more privately? Or again, she might not care to let the servant know
whither the cab was really to convey her.

Sheer madness, all