But to the police station, Miss Varris?" he asked quickly. "You went there? Why? You weren't robbed? The paper didn't make a mistake in the names?"
"Oh, no!" the girl laughed. "But we had been travelling for a few days with Mrs. Hastings who was robbed, so mother and I went with her to the magistrate this morning to place the formal complaint. I have just come back here ahead of them. I forgot something. No; to tell the truth, Mr. Preston," she said, looking at him frankly, "we had seen that you were here—and I did forget something, but I really made it an excuse to come back here and see you before you could see mother."
"You mean about the robbery?" Preston comprehended.
"Yes. She has been very much upset by what the police have just told her this morning—much more than she was before."
"Much more than before, Miss Varris?" Preston inquired.
"Yes; it's queer, isn't it? You see, we
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