"Well, I did not."
"And you say you have not seen them since?"
"No."
"Nor heard from them?"
The American brought himself up and gazed across wonderingly at his companion.
"No; since you wish to know, I have not heard from them, Mr. Dunneston," he said.
"A pardon, Mr. Preston! Ah! A pardon, please!" the Englishman apologized at once. "I say, I did not intend to pry into personals, really," he protested. "And really, you know," he continued, "if you see how I meant it, it was not personal after all," he argued.
"Not personal?"
"No," the Englishman replied easily, "because, I say, it was rather the public, or certainly the police, understanding of it, wasn't it, that you were to travel with Mrs. and Miss Varris and keep on with them? That was how I had it, at least."
"The public—the police understanding, Mr.
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