It was his habit to be rather distrustful of his brother and of all his brother's acquaintance.

"I suppose you can give me Hawkehurst's address, in case I should want to write to him ?" he said.
"He told me to send my letters to the post-office, Dorking," answered the Captain, "which really looks as if the aunt's residence were something in the way of an almshouse." No more was said about Valentine's departure.

Captain Paget concluded his business with his patron and departed, leaving the stockbroker leaning forward upon his desk in a thoughtful attitude and scribbling purposeless figures upon his blotting-paper.
"There's something queer in this young man running away from town; there's some mystification somewhere," he thought.

"He has not gone to Dorking, or he would scarcely have told Lotta that he was going a hundred and fifty miles from town.

He would be likely to be taken off his guard by her questions, and would tell the truth.