Page:Alice Stuyvesant - The Vanity Box.djvu/105

 "We both knew her, years ago, when she was a very young girl, but hadn't seen her since."

"Where did you know the lady—in England?"

"My wife knew her in England, before our marriage. I met Miss Ricardo in India, when I was stationed there. Her cousin, Mrs. Ricardo, our neighbour, was to have called, but was ill with a headache, and sent Miss Ricardo alone, rather than put us out, in case we had been told that they would come."

"Did you have tea with this lady, on returning home?"

"Yes, when Miss Verney came in—my wife's companion."

"Had Miss Verney been out?"

"I believe so."

"Did you know where?"

"I think—in the woods."

"Did you ask her if she had met Lady Hereward?"

"Yes, but she said she had not."

"Did you feel anxious when Lady Hereward did not return?"

"I thought I would look for her, when Miss Ricardo had gone, and I—did so."

"You went back to the place where you had left her?"

"Yes."

Now, once more, the eager curiosity with which every one had listened to the story, as given in question