why, this little journey of his is strictly
on the 'Q. T.' I guess from what he said there's a lady mixed up in it."

Exactly what Wildred had said, when explaining his friend's absence on
Christmas Day from the House by the Lock! I remembered the coincidence,
though I could hardly see that it bore with any importance on the
present case. Farnham might hold several feminine trump cards to play at
the end of a trick for all I knew, or had a right to know.

"I tell you what to do, Mr. Stanton," Bennett continued, recovering his
wonted self-possession. "You just go up to the house, and make yourself
at home there till Mr. Farnham gets back. You know what a big place it
is, and how glad the chief is to fill it with his friends, especially
such friends as you. Then, by the end of next week, anyhow----"

I interrupted him impatiently. "What, will he be away till then?"

"I should think it was probable from what he said before he left, sir."

"I wish," I exclaimed desperately, "that you could see your way to
making things a little clearer for me. I don't want to pry into
Farnham's affairs, of course--that goes without saying. But perhaps,
without any betrayal of confidence, you might let me know exactly what
he did tell you in regard to his return."

"Well," said Bennett, with a short laugh, "seeing it's you! The fact is,
Mr. Stanton, it'll be a considerable relief to my mind to talk over the
matter, and ask your opinion as to one or two points that have been
rather troubling me."

He glanced up into my face, almost for the first time since we had begun
the discussion, and I saw that I was to hear something which he
considered of importance.

Of how great importance it was to prove for me, I did not dare to dream.

CHAPTER XXI

A Picture from the Past

"The fact is," said Bennett, "I haven't quite known what to make of Mr.
Farnham since he's been back on this side the herring-pond. Of course he
hasn't been well, but that would hardly be enough to account for the
change in him. Did you see him, may I ask, Mr. Stanton, when he was in
England?"

I informed him that I had done so, not thinking it best to volunteer the
statement that I had only met him once.

"And did he seem like himself?"

This was rather turning the tables upon me. I was not prepared to answer
many questions, but without hesitation I replied to this one, saying
that, in my opinion, Farnham had seemed uncommonly jolly and well.

Bennett