"Oh, he'll be down in a minute or two," answered Max.

And then he thought he would wait and see what new developments the
disappearance of the lady would lead to. He was getting sick with alarm
about his friend. These instances of the blood-stained clothes, the
possible journey to Liverpool, and the flight of the mysterious lady,
were so suspicious, taken in conjunction with each other, that Max found
it impossible to rest until he knew more. He walked a little way along
the pavement, and then returned slowly in the middle of the road. He had
done this for the third time when Dudley dashed out of the house with
rapid steps, and had reached the step of the hansom before he discovered
that the vehicle was empty.

An exclamation of dismay escaped his lips, and to the cabman's statement
of the lady's disappearance he replied by asking sharply in which
direction she had gone. On receiving the information he wanted, he gave
the man his fare, and walked rapidly away in the direction the cabman
had indicated.

Max followed.

Every moment increased his belief that some appalling circumstance had
occurred by which Dudley's mind had for the time lost its balance. Every
word, look and movement on the part of his friend betrayed the fact. Now
he was evidently setting off in feverish haste in pursuit of this woman
whom he had left in the cab; and Max, who believed that his friend was
on the brink of an attack of the insanity which old Mr. Wedmore feared,
resolved to dog his footsteps, and not to let his friend go out of his
sight until the latter got safely back to his chambers.