I will answer any question presently." There were only two I put to him, and that was when my hansom had been called and I was on the point of leaving.
"Is he--my father--alive now ?" I asked.
"I have reason to believe," Ray answered, "that he may be dead." "How is it," I asked, "that you are so well acquainted with these things?
Were you at any time my father's friend ?" "I was acquainted with him," Ray answered.

"We were at one time in the same regiment.

My friendship was--with your mother." The answer was illuming, but he never winced.
"Indirectly," I said, "I seem to have a good deal to thank you for.

Why do you say that you can never be my friend ?" "You are your father's son," he answered curtly.
"I am also my mother's son," I objected.
"For which reason," he said, "I have done what I could to give you a start in life." And with these words he dismissed me.
* * * * * I received Ray's warning concerning Mrs.Smith-Lessing, the new tenant of Braster Grange, somewhere between seven and eight o'clock, and barely an hour later I found myself alone in a first-class carriage with her, and a four hours' journey before us.

She had arrived at King's Cross apparently only a few minutes before the departure of the train, for the platform was almost deserted when I took my seat.