CHAPTER IV
THE MODERN YOUNG WOMAN
Mrs. Carswell, who had left the gentlemen to themselves after opening the plate-chest, followed the newcomer into the room and looked appealingly at the senior partner.
"This is Miss Fosdyke, sir," she said, as if accounting for the unceremonious entrance. "Mr. Horbury's———"
But Miss Fosdyke, having looked round her, entered the arena of discussion as abruptly as she had entered the room.
"You're Mr. Chestermarke!" she said, turning to Gabriel. "I remember you. What's all this, Mr. Chestermarke? I come down from London to meet my uncle, and to go on with him to Scotland for a holiday, and I learn that he's disappeared! What is it? What has happened? Why are you all looking so mysterious? Is something wrong? Where is my uncle?"
Gabriel, who had assumed his stereotyped expression of calm attention under this tornado of questions, motioned Joseph to place a chair for the young lady. But Miss Fosdyke shook her head and returned to the attack.
"Please don't keep anything back!" she said. "I
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