And then Sylvia told him. She described the coming of the messenger, her
journey to the Pension Malfait, and she repeated, as far as was possible,
the exact words of her friend's curiously-worded, abrupt letter to Madame
Malfait.
"They all think," she said at last, "that Anna went to the Casino and
lost all her money--both the money she made, and the money she brought
here; and that then, not liking to tell even me anything about it, she
made up her mind to go away."
"They _all_ think this?" repeated Count Paul, meaningly. "Whom do you
mean by _all_, Mrs. Bailey?"
"I mean the people at the Pension Malfait, and the Wachners--"
"Then you saw the Wachners to-day?"
"I met Madame Wachner as I was going to the Pension Malfait," said
Sylvia, "and she went there with me. You see, the Wachners asked Anna to
have supper with them yesterday, and they waited for her ever so long,
but she never came. That makes it clear that she must have left Lacville
some time in the early afternoon. I wish--I cannot help wishing--that I
had not gone into Paris yesterday, Count Paul.
Pages:
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232