As far as I could discern, nobody was watching his movements at all;
nevertheless, I could only suppose that he had great cause for
precaution, otherwise he would have allowed me to approach and speak to
him.
True, there was a queer, insignificant-looking old lady in rusty black,
who had been on the platform when I had arrived, who had crossed the
bridge and waited for the train from Plymouth, and who was now making
her way back into Totnes in the direction we were walking.
Could it be possible that he feared her?
It struck me that he might have recognised that I had travelled there to
meet him in place of the man now deceased; therefore I hurried on and
got in front so that he might, if he so wished, follow me to the Seymour
Hotel.
But judge my chagrin when at last we entered the main street, and while
I turned down towards the bridge, he turned in the opposite direction,
thus showing that he had not detected my anxiety to speak with him. And
the old lady had followed in his footsteps.
Suddenly a thought occurred to me. It was surely more than probable
that Mr Dawnay was there to meet the man Arnold, in ignorance of his
death. Therefore, having allowed him to get on some distance, I turned
upon my heel and followed him.
His movements were certainly curious. He was undoubtedly avoiding the
unwelcome attentions of the old lady, who now seemed to be acting in
conjunction with a dark-haired, middle-aged man with beetling brows, who
wore a shabby brown suit and a last year's straw hat.
The man with the red cravat entered an inn in Fore Street, and remained
there a full hour, the other man watching in the vicinity. Then, on
emerging, he went to a chemist's, and afterwards turned his footsteps
back towards the station.
I saw that his intention was to leave Totnes. Therefore, in preference
to following on foot, I drove to the station in a fly.
He had never once removed those grey suede gloves, though the day was so
hot, for on the up-platform the man in the straw hat was still idling
behind him. A number of people were waiting for the train, and I,
discerning Mr Dawnay's intention of travelling, entered the
booking-office and bought a ticket for Exeter.
At last the London express came roaring into the station, when the man
whom I was there to meet quickly entered a first-class corridor
compartment, and while I remained vigilant, I saw the mysterious watcher
enter a carriage a little way behind. Then, just as the train was
leaving, I sprang into the compartment next that of Mr Dawnay.
I allowed the train to travel for about ten minutes, and as we slowly
ascended the steep incline to Stony Coombe, between Totnes and Newton
Abbot, I passed along the corridor and entered the compartment of the
fugitive.
His quick, wary eyes were upon me in an instant, and I saw him start
visibly in alarm, as I shut the door behind me leading to the corridor.
"I believe," I exclaimed next moment, "that you are Mr Arthur Dawnay?"