lf with the work, had entered
whole-heartedly into all the plans, had counted up the cost, and then,
realising that all his enthusiasm was only forced, that he was merely
trying to cheat himself, he lost interest and gave it up.

"I'll go to London," he said. "I'll go and see things, and try and get
thoughts of her out of my mind." So he went, and found London even more
uninteresting than Hurst Dormer.

He had promised that he would never molest her, never annoy her with
his visits or his presence, and he meant religiously to keep his word,
and yet--if he could just see her! She need not know! If he could from a
distance feast his eyes on her for one moment, on a sight of her, what
harm would he do her or anyone?

Hugh Alston did not recognise himself in this restless dissatisfied,
unhappy man, who took to loitering and wandering about the streets,
haunting certain places and keeping a sharp lookout for someone who
might or might not come.

So the days passed. He had gladdened his eyes three times with a view of
old General Bartholomew. He had seen that ancient man leaning on his
stick, taking a constitutional around the square.

And that was all! He passed the house and watched, yet saw no sign of
her. He came at night-time, when tell-tale shadows might be thrown on
the blinds, but saw nothing, only the shadow of the General or of his
secretary, never one that might have been hers.

And then he slowly came to the conclusion that Joan Meredyth could no
longer be there. It had taken him nearly a week to come to that
decision.

That Joan had left General Bartholomew's house he was certain, but where
was she? He had no right to enquire, no right to hunt her down. If he
knew where she was, how could it profit him, for had he not promised to
trouble her no more?

Yet still for all that he wanted to know, and casting about in his mind
how he might find her, he thought of Mr. Philip Slotman.

It was possible that if she had left the General's she had gone back to
take up her work with Slotman again.

"I'll risk it," he thought, and went to Gracebury and made his way to
Slotman's office.

It was a sadly depleted staff that he found in the general office. An
ancient man and a young boy represented Mr. Philip Slotman's one-time
large clerical staff.

"Mr. Slotman's away, sir, down in the country--gone down to Sussex,
sir," said the lad.

"To Sussex? Will he be away long?"

"Can't say, sir; he may be back to-mor