"Where is he, like ?" "Please, sir, Mrs.Battley, she says as how Mr.Stoner went away on Saturday afternoon, sir," answered the lad, "and he hasn't been home since.

She thinks he went to Darlington, sir, on a visit." Mallalieu turned into the office, growling.
"Must ha' missed his train," he muttered as he put more papers on Stoner's desk.

"Here--happen you'll attend to these things--they want booking up." Cotherstone made no reply, and Mallalieu presently left him and went home to get his breakfast.

And as he walked up the road to his house he wondered why Stoner had gone to Darlington.

Was it possible that he had communicated what he knew to any of his friends?
If so---- "Confound the suspense and the uncertainty!" growled Mallalieu.