Part 11 (2/2)
”But perhaps you have been in Canada,” the stranger remarked politely
Foster looked hard at him ”I haven't the pleasure of your acquaintance, but had better hint that you're wasting tier smiled and Foster saw that he had been incautious ”I don't know the gentleman”
”Then what is your business?”
”If you insist on knowing, I'm connected with the police”
”Well,” said Foster, ”I'll pay you a coined it; but I don't understand what the police have to do withto do with you, but you can perhaps ned the visitor's book John Foster, which doesn't quite correspond with the letters on your bag”
”Ah!” said Foster, ”I begin to understand No doubt, you noticed Lawrence Featherstone's name on the lock, and the Canadian Pacific label?”
”I did,” the other admitted with hulad he had registered in his proper naive Featherstone's, in case Daly made inquiries He had, however, decided that the latter probably thought they were both in Great Britain and would expect theed to the police, because an impostor would be easily found out
”Featherstone's e by mistake e left a small Canadian town,” he said, and added after a pause: ”I expect the explanation sounds rather la subjected to a very close scrutiny Although sensible of some annoyance, he felt inclined to like the h before”
”For a day; I left in the evening and went to Newcastle”
”To Newcastle?” said the other thoughtfully ”Did you stay there?”
”I did not,” said Foster, thinking frankness was best ”I went back to a country house in Northus to my partner's father
Lawrence Featherstone and I own a saw a holiday in the Old Country”
He could not tell if the man was satisfied or not, for he asked abruptly: ”Who is the Mr Daly you mentioned?”
”I really don't know It looks as if he were so to keep out of his way”
The ave Foster a card
”Very well; I don't think I need keep you You have my address if you should want to coht he had not handled the situation with much skill It was a mistake to mention Daly and perhaps to state that he had been to Newcastle He thought the man looked interested when he heard this Then it was curious that he seean to see a possible reason for his being watched Hulton had, no doubt, sent somebody over to inquire about the stolen bonds, and if the ht have asked the help of the police In this case, the ers from Canada would be noted The trouble was that Foster could not be frank with the police, because Lawrence's secret uarded
In the afternoon he entered a fashi+onable tea-room and sat for a time in a corner The room was divided into quiet nooks by Moorish arches, fro by chains and thren a soft red glow Heavy imitation Eastern curtains deadened the hum of voices and rattle of cups The air arht dim, and Foster, who had often camped in the snow, felt amused by the affectation of sensual luxury as he ate iced cakes and languidly watched the people He could only see two or three men, one of whom he had noticed at the hotel and afterwards passed in the street This was probably a coincidence, but it , and he moved back behind the arch that cut off his corner When he next looked about, the fellow had gone There were, however, a nuirls, and he remarked the warm color in their faces and the clearness of their voices The Scottish capital seemed to be inhabited by handsome women
He was, however, sonized the girl he had met at Hawick station He had hardly expected her to claim his acquaintance, as she obviously meant to do