And Ling Chu had undoubtedly left.

The dining-room was empty.

The first thing Tarling saw, when he turned on the light, was a strip of rice paper on which the ink was scarcely dry.

Just half a dozen Chinese characters and no more.
"If you return before I, learn that I go to find the little-little woman," read Tarling in astonishment.
"Then he knows she's gone! Thank God for that!" he said.

"I wonder----" He stopped.