It was then late in the
afternoon, and no one but Pratt was there--Pratt, indeed, had been
waiting until Collingwood called.
"Going back to town, Mr. Collingwood?" asked Pratt as he handed over a
big envelope. "When shall we have the pleasure of seeing you again,
sir?"
Something in the clerk's tone made Collingwood think--he could not tell
why--that Pratt was fishing for information. And--also for reasons which
he could not explain--Collingwood had taken a curious dislike to Pratt,
and was not inclined to give him any confidence.
"I don't know," he answered, a little icily. "I am leaving for India
next week."
He bade the clerk a formal farewell and went off, and Pratt locked the
office door and slowly followed him downstairs.
"To India!" he said to himself, watching the young barrister's
retreating figure. "To India, eh? For a time--or for--what?"
Anyway, that was good news, Pratt had seen in Collingwood a possible
rival.
CHAPTER X
THE FOOT-BRIDGE
Collingwood's return to London was made on a Friday evening: next day he
began the final preparations for his departure to India on the following
Thursday. He was looking forward to his journey and his stay in India
with keen expectation. He would have the society of a particularly
clever and brilliant man; they were to break their journey in Italy and
in Egypt; he would enjoy exceptional facilities for seeing the native
life of India; he would gain valuable experience.
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