The circumstance of Mr. Foster having lingered in Liverpool later than the departure of the train by which he mentioned to Duval it was his intention to return to London, did not make any impression upon the actor's mind. 'Business men have business matters to attend to in many places,' he thought. 'If the poor fellow strained a point a little in letting me suppose that he had nothing to do and nobody to see in Liverpool, and only came down on our account, it was a harmless little bit of compliment, and I daresay he did. No man is bound to tell a far closer friend than I was _all_ about any matter in which he is concerned, and this one may have had an extensive connection in Liverpool, and lots to do there for anything I know to the contrary. I have, to be sure, no very solid grounds for my belief; but it is certainly more than an impression that this poor fellow's business in England lies at the root of this matter, and that there is no woman in the case.' The words were passing through his mind as Miss Montressor entered the room. 'You were only too right,' said Bryan Duval, as Miss Montressor entered the room with face full of inquiry: 'the lady who occupied the seat you described to me last night was indeed Mrs. Alston Griswold; here is the memorandum from the box-office, giving the name and address. This is certainty on one side of the question; certainty on the other will, I fear, be only too readily attained.' Miss Montressor sat down and looked, as she felt, very much concerned. The condition of the unconscious wife appealed at once to her womanly and her artistic feelings; the truth and the situation alike struck her as deeply impressive. 'I shall communicate at once with the city authorities,' said Bryan Duval; 'it will be impossible for me to keep out of this sad affair, and it is manifestly my duty to volunteer all the information it is in my power to give. I suppose there will be some person who will be deputed to break this terrible news to her?' 'No, no,' said Miss Montressor; 'do not act in the matter in that way. What do the ends of justice matter in comparison with the wife who is widowed in such a horrible manner, and who knows nothing of the calamity which has befallen her? Let them wait; let us first try to find some personal friend of the poor thing, and tell him.'