knew where she was, how could it profit him, for had he not promised to
trouble her no more?

Yet still for all that he wanted to know, and casting about in his mind
how he might find her, he thought of Mr. Philip Slotman.

It was possible that if she had left the General's she had gone back to
take up her work with Slotman again.

"I'll risk it," he thought, and went to Gracebury and made his way to
Slotman's office.

It was a sadly depleted staff that he found in the general office. An
ancient man and a young boy represented Mr. Philip Slotman's one-time
large clerical staff.

"Mr. Slotman's away, sir, down in the country--gone down to Sussex,
sir," said the lad.

"To Sussex? Will he be away long?"

"Can't say, sir; he may be back to-morrow," the boy said. "At any rate,
he's not here to-day."

"I may come back to-morrow. You might tell him that Mr. Alston called."
And Hugh turned away.

Another disappointment. He realised now that he had built up quite a lot
of hope on his interview with Slotman.