"But he makes a mistake in not coming forward. His name, you have
noticed, has already appeared in the papers in direct connection with
the murder."
He glanced at her keenly once more.
"It may be that he has gone away upon some urgent business," she said.
"And the chances are that he has not heard anything of the matter."
"If he had gone away on business, don't you think he would have
mentioned it to someone?"
"Perhaps he did not think it necessary. And again, maybe he did not
expect to be gone so long. Such things frequently happen, you know."
"They do," admitted Ashton-Kirk. "But in the case of Allan Morris,
they somehow fail to fit. I am convinced that he is in hiding."
She regarded him steadily for a moment; then she said:
"You are convinced, you say?"
"I am."
"May I ask upon what your conviction is based?"
"Not now--no."
There was another pause; the man was at the door, ready to show the
investigator out.
"Perhaps," and her tone was very low, "you even fancy that you know
his hiding-place."
"Not just yet," said he, "but in a few hours at most, I will."
Her lips formed the good-by as he stood in the doorway; but she made
no sound. And Ashton-Kirk as he walked down the hall, smiled quietly
to himself.
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