Foster sat down. The door of the room was half open and while he
waited somebody entered the house. Steps came along the hall, and a
girl pushed the door back, and then stopped, looking at him in
surprise. He understood this as he saw she was the girl he had helped
into the train.

"I didn't know you were coming here," she said.

"Nor did I, in a sense," Foster answered with a smile. "I mean I
didn't know it was your house."

"My name was on the label of the bag and rather conspicuous."

"It would have meant nothing if I had seen it. In fact, I must own I
don't know it now."

The girl looked puzzled, and Foster explained that he had come with a
packet, but had merely been given Graham's name and the number of the
house. He added that he had found he must look for the man in
Newcastle.

"Then you are a friend of Mr. Austin's?" she said.

Foster thought it strange that she had not told him she knew Austin
when she asked about the Crossing, but he replied: "I'm a friend of
Miss Austin's."

"Ah!" she said thoughtfully; "do you mind explaining what you mean by
that?"