Presumably, if that was indeed he who had spoken to the girl upon the telephone, she understood more about the matter than I did.

He may have given her some explanation which accounted for his absence.

If so, he had obviously desired it to remain a secret.

What was the nature of this mystery?
Of what was it that he was afraid?
Who was this young man who, after his departure, had taken so much interest in his niece and myself at Charing Cross?
Was it some one whom he had desired to evade ?--a detective, perhaps, or an informer?
The riddle was not easy to solve.

Common-sense told me that my wisest course was to fulfil my original intention, and take the first train on the morrow to my brother's house in Norfolk.