CHAPTER III.
On the next morning Colonel Willoughby plied the landlord with a few more questions about Captain Allen, and then, inquiring the direction of his house, started out, as he said, to take a ramble through the town.
He did not come back until near dinner time, and then he showed no disposition to encourage familiarity on the part of Mr.Adams.But that individual was not in the dark touching the morning whereabouts of his friend.

A familiar of his, stimulated by certain good things which the landlord knew when and how to dispense, had tracked the stranger from the "White Swan" to Captain Allen's house.

After walking around it, on the outside of the enclosure once or twice, and viewing it on all sides, he had ventured, at last, through the gate, and up to the front door of the stately mansion.

A servant admitted him, and the landlord's familiar loitered around for nearly three hours before he came out.

Mrs.Allen accompanied him to the door, and stood and talked with him earnestly for some time in the portico.