There were other letters which he had told her to answer. As soon as he
had started she went into his room to look for them. If they were not on
the chimneypiece they would be in the drawer with his razors and
pockethandkerchiefs.

It was John's room, after she had gone through it, that showed her what
he was doing.

Sutton looked in before she had finished. She called to him, "Billy, you
might come here a minute."

He came in, eyebrows lifted at the inquisition.

"What's up?"

"I'm afraid John isn't coming back."

"Not coming back? Of course he's coming back."

"No. I think he's--got off."

"You mean he's--"

"Yes. Bolted."

"What on earth makes you think that?"

"He's taken all sorts of things--pyjamas, razors, all his
pockethandkerchiefs... I _had_ to look through his drawers to find those
letters he told me to answer."