She stopped suddenly, and through the black veil which she wore he saw her eyes grow larger—­or such was the effect as she opened them widely.  Perhaps he misread their message.  To him Phil Abingdon’s expression was that of detected guilt.  More than ever he was convinced of the truth of his suspicions.  “Perhaps you were looking for a cab?” he suggested.

Overcoming her surprise, or whatever emotion had claimed her at the moment of this unexpected meeting, Phil Abingdon took Harley’s outstretched hand and held it for a moment before replying.  “I had almost despaired of finding one,” she said, “and I am late already.”

“The porter at the Savoy would get you one.”

“I have tried there and got tired of waiting,” she answered quite simply.

For a moment Harley’s suspicions were almost dispelled, and, observing an empty cab approaching, he signalled to the man to pull up.

“Where do you want to go to?” he inquired, opening the door.

“I am due at Doctor McMurdoch’s,” she replied, stepping in.

Paul Harley hesitated, glancing from the speaker to the driver.

“I wonder if you have time to come with me,” said Phil Abingdon.  “I know the doctor wants to see you.”

“I will come with pleasure,” replied Harley, a statement which was no more than true.

Accordingly he gave the necessary directions to the taxi man and seated himself beside the girl in the cab.

“I am awfully glad of an opportunity of a chat with you, Mr. Harley,” said Phil Abingdon.  “The last few days have seemed like one long nightmare to me.”  She sighed pathetically.  “Surely Doctor McMurdoch is right, and all the horrible doubts which troubled us were idle ones, after all?”

She turned to Harley, looking almost eagerly into his face.  “Poor daddy hadn’t an enemy in the world, I am sure,” she said.  “His extraordinary words to you no doubt have some simple explanation.  Oh, it would be such a relief to know that his end was a natural one.  At least it would dull the misery of it all a little bit.”

The appeal in her eyes was of a kind which Harley found much difficulty in resisting.  It would have been happiness to offer consolation to this sorrowing girl.  But, although he could not honestly assure her that he had abandoned his theories, he realized that the horror of her suspicions was having a dreadful effect upon Phil Abingdon’s mind.

“You may quite possibly be right,” he said, gently.  “In any event, I hope you will think as little as possible about the morbid side of this unhappy business.”

“I try to,” she assured him, earnestly, “but you can imagine how hard the task is.  I know that you must have some good reason for your idea; something, I mean, other than the mere words which have puzzled us all so much.  Won’t you tell me?”