Luke said nothing abroad of his going, and the village only knew he was away by missing him.
"What's gone of Luke ?" many asked of his father.
"Oh, he's off to London on some spree; he can tell ye about it when he gets back," was Roy's answer.
When he got back! John's departure was intended for the day following that one when you saw him packing his clothes, but the untimely end of Rachel had induced him to postpone it.

Or, rather, the command of Mr.
Verner--a command which John could not conveniently disobey had he wished.

He had won over Mr.Verner to promise him a substantial sum, to "set him up," as he phrased it, in Australia; and that sum was not yet handed to him..