"She certainly might," he responded; "but, if she did, she kept the matter a secret, for none of the neighbours are aware of it." "Then you have already inquired?" I asked, somewhat surprised, for he spoke so positively. "Yes," he replied. "Curiously enough, a few days ago I had some one else call and ask for Mr Ashwicke." "Who was it?" I demanded quickly. "A lady--a young, rather good-looking lady." "What was she like? Describe her to me." "Well, she wore a thick white veil so that I couldn't see her face quite distinctly," the man answered; "but she, like yourself, declared that she knew Mr Ashwicke, and had been a visitor here. She asked to see the very same rooms as you have seen. Very curious, isn't it?" "Very," I exclaimed in wonder. "Did she give any further explanation?" "No; she gave me half a sovereign instead," he laughed. "And she also declared that Mr Ashwicke had lived here recently?" "Yes; that's what caused me to inquire." "Very remarkable," I said. "I wonder who she could have been. Can't you give the slightest description of her?" "I only noticed that she spoke in a soft, refined voice, and that she had very pretty eyes, blue-grey, I believe they were. But those thick white veils, with embroidery on them, make it very difficult to see a woman's face clearly." "And her hair? Was she fair or dark?" "Between colours." "Fair?" "No; not fair, and not dark. Almost chestnut colour, I think it was." "Was she tall?" "Middling. She came in a hansom, and it waited for her. She was evidently a lady." "She gave no name?" "No; she was very discreet. And that's what made me scent a mystery when you called and asked for the same person, and to see the same rooms." "Well, it is extraordinary," I remarked. "Most extraordinary!" I was sorry that I had no money to give him a tip, but my last half-crown reposed in the corner of my pocket, and I could not summon courage to leave myself penniless; so I merely thanked him, and, descending the steps, left him with disappointment plainly depicted upon his face. The man might be useful, I felt, therefore I had decided to return at an early date, when my funds were not so low, and give him a similar tip to the one he had received from the veiled lady. Who was she? I wondered. Surely it could not have been Beryl herself. By good fortune, on my return to Rowan Road, I found a letter awaiting me, and on opening it discovered that it was from a doctor practising in Bayswater, who, in reply to my application a week before, appointed me his _locum tenens_. Therefore, on the following day, I thanked Bob warmly, for all his hospitality towards me, and bade him good-bye. "Promise me one thing, Dick," he said, as he stood in the hall, holding my hand in a firm, friendly grip of farewell. "Well," I asked, "what is it?"