Thus they had renewed their friendship.
Douglas had given him the impression that some danger was hanging over his head, and he had always looked upon his sudden departure from California, and also his renting a house in so quiet a place in England, as being connected with this peril.

He imagined that some secret society, some implacable organization, was on Douglas's track, which would never rest until it killed him.

Some remarks of his had given him this idea; though he had never told him what the society was, nor how he had come to offend it.

He could only suppose that the legend upon the placard had some reference to this secret society.
"How long were you with Douglas in California ?" asked Inspector MacDonald.
"Five years altogether." "He was a bachelor, you say ?" "A widower." "Have you ever heard where his first wife came from ?" "No, I remember his saying that she was of German extraction, and I have seen her portrait.

She was a very beautiful woman.