She knew!
"Madam," he replied, "I made the acquaintance of the young lady
with whom I was that evening, at the boarding-house where we both
lived."
"What were you doing in the chemist's shop?" she demanded.
"The young lady had been ill," he proceeded deliberately,
wondering how much to tell. "She had been taken very ill indeed.
She was just recovering when you entered."
"Where is she now?" the woman asked eagerly. "Is she still at
that boarding-house of which you spoke?"
"No," he answered.
Her fingers gripped his arm once more.
"Why do you answer me always in monosyllables? Don't you
understand that you must tell me everything that you know about
her. You must tell me where I can find her, at once."
Tavernake remained silent. The woman's voice had still that note
of wonderful sweetness, but she had altogether lost her air of
complete and aristocratic indifferenoe. She was a very altered
person now from the distinguished client who had first enlisted
his services. For some reason or other, he knew that she was
suffering from a terrible anxiety.
"I am not sure," he said at last, "whether I can do as you ask."
"What do you mean?" she exclaimed sharply.
"The young lady," he continued, "seemed, on the occasion to which
you have referred, to be particularly anxious to avoid
recognition. She hurried out of the place without speaking to
you, and she has avoided the subject ever since. I do not know
what her motives may have been, but I think that I should like to
ask her first before I tell you where she is to be found.
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