“How is she?” he said.

Mrs. Forel’s eyes were hazy.  “I think she has given way at last—­it was awful at first when she would only sit and look at me,” she said; and then her voice sank a little, “How did it happen, Tom?”

“Heart disease,” said Forel.  “The doctor is quite sure of that.”

“But,” said Mrs. Forel, “what brought it on?”

“Well,” said Forel slowly, “anything that upsets one is apt to prove perilous in cases like his, and I rather fancy that Deringham had a quarrel with Hallam.  They had dealings together, and I think Deringham must have lost a good deal of money.  You will not, however, mention it to anybody.”

Mrs. Forel looked at her husband curiously, “No, of course,” she said.  “I wish I knew what to do for the girl.”

CHAPTER XXXIII

MISS DERINGHAM’S CONFESSION

Several weeks had passed since Deringham’s funeral when one evening Forel, sitting alone on his verandah, saw Alton coming up the pathway.  His face was once more bronzed by wind and sun, but it had not wholly lost the sombreness Forel had noticed when he had last seen him in Vancouver.

“I’m glad to see you, Forel, for I’ve just come in from Victoria, and there’s a good deal I want to know,” he said.

“You generally do,” and Forel became suddenly grave.  “You heard what happened to your kinsman?”

“Yes,” said Alton.  “It was some time before I got your letter.  I was back up there at the mine, you know.  Very sudden, wasn’t it?”

Forel nodded.  “Still, it was not altogether astonishing.  The doctor had warned him a few days before it happened that any unusual exertion or excitement might prove perilous.”

“And, so far as you know, was there anything of that kind?”

Ford watched his companion closely as he answered: 

“I have told nobody else, but Hallam called here and saw him shortly before it happened.”

Alton’s face remained impassive, but his voice was not quite in accordance with it as he said, “The police have no word of him?”

Forel smiled.  “As there cannot well be a prosecution without a prisoner they are somewhat reticent.  Still, Hallam caught the Sound steamer, and late that night one of the officers came round here, while I was eventually able to glean a few details.  The steamer had called at one or two ports before they got the wires, and while the American police might have shadowed him, you cannot arrest a Canadian across the frontier until you get your papers through.  By the time that was done there was no trace of Hallam.  Still, I’m a little puzzled, because he seems to have cleared out at a moment’s notice, and it’s difficult to see who could have warned him.”

Forel fancied that Alton seemed relieved.  “He has gone, anyway,” he said.  “Still, if he had only time to catch the steamer the banks would be closed, and he couldn’t go very far without dollars.  They generally want two signatures to a cheque in a concern like his.”