As soon as she had welcomed him she reverted at once to the subject.
'Yes, as I told you, he was not at the place of meeting,' De Stancy replied.

And taking from his pocket the bag of ready money he placed it intact upon the table.
De Stancy did this with a hand that shook somewhat more than a long railway journey was adequate to account for; and in truth it was the vision of Dare's position which agitated the unhappy captain: for had that young man, as De Stancy feared, been tampering with Somerset's name, his fate now trembled in the balance; Paula would unquestionably and naturally invoke the aid of the law against him if she discovered such an imposition.
'Were you punctual to the time mentioned ?' she asked curiously.
De Stancy replied in the affirmative.
'Did you wait long ?' she continued.
'Not very long,' he answered, his instinct to screen the possibly guilty one confining him to guarded statements, while still adhering to the literal truth.
'Why was that ?' 'Somebody came and told me that he would not appear.' 'Who ?' 'A young man who has been acting as his clerk.

His name is Dare.

He informed me that Mr.Somerset could not keep the appointment.' 'Why ?' 'He had gone on to San Remo.' 'Has he been travelling with Mr.Somerset ?' 'He had been with him.

They know each other very well.