"If you'd rather come back with me on this train, come ahead! It isn't absolutely necessary that you make a personal inspection now; only that fellow Selwyn is not here to-day, and I thought if you wanted to look about a bit you could do it this afternoon without chance of running into him and startling the whole mess boiling." "Is Captain Selwyn in town ?" asked Ruthven, reddening.
"Yes; an agency man telephoned me that he's just back from Sandy Hook--" The train began to move out of the station.

Ruthven hesitated, then stepped away from the passing car with a significant parting nod to Hallam.
As the train, gathering momentum, swept past him, he stared about at the snow-covered station, the guard, the few people congregated there.
"There's another train at four, isn't there ?" he asked an official.
"Four-thirty, express.

Yes, sir." A hackman came up soliciting patronage.

Ruthven motioned him to follow, leading the way to the edge of the platform.
"I don't want to drive to the village.

What have you got there, a sleigh ?" It was the usual Long Island depot-wagon, on runners instead of wheels.
"Do you know the Willow Villa ?" demanded Ruthven.
"Wilier Viller, sir?
Yes, sir.