On the whole, he thought this the better plan, but resolved to leave the thing to chance.  If Daly met him or saw his name in the book, he would deal with the fellow then; if not, he would wait until they were on board ship.  When he went in to dinner he chose a place behind a pillar, where he was not likely to be noticed, and looked carefully about.  The room was large and occupied by a number of guests, but by and by he saw Daly at a table near its other end.  As he had taken a prominent place, it looked as if he was not afraid of being seen.  He sat facing Foster, but at some distance, with two ladies on the opposite side.  They were fashionably dressed and one was older than the other, but that was all Foster could distinguish.

He had no ground for thinking Daly noticed him during the meal, and did not see the man for an hour afterwards.  Then finding that he wanted a railway guide he had left in his room, he went up the stairs and along a corridor.  As he did so, he saw a man and woman some distance in front.  The carpet was thick, and it was obvious that the others did not hear him, because the man put his arm round his companion’s waist.  So far as Foster could see, the girl yielded willingly to his embrace, and not wishing to overtake them he stopped.  Next moment they passed a lamp and he noted that the man was Daly, though he was unable to distinguish his companion’s face.  He, however, thought he would know her dress again.

Daly’s love affairs had nothing to do with him, but in order to save the girl embarrassment he waited until they opened a door.  Foster imagined it led to a music or drawing-room, but passed without looking in, and going up a flight of stairs spent some time in his room, studying the railway guide and a list of steamship sailings.  As he entered the corridor on his way back he saw the girl, who was now alone, in front.  He knew her by her dress and did not mean to overtake her, but after she had gone a few paces she stopped to pick up something she had dropped.  Since it would look rather marked if he waited, he went on and was close to her when she heard his steps and glanced round with a start.  Then he stopped as he saw she was the girl he had first met at Hawick.  Although he thought she was embarrassed, she met him with a smile.

“It looks as if you had got tired of Edinburgh,” she remarked.  “Did you stay there long?”

“No,” said Foster bluntly.  “But I wonder whether you did not know that I had left?”

“How could I know?” she asked with a look of surprise that he thought was well done.  “Besides, why should I be interested?”

“You seemed to think it better that I should go away.  Anyhow, you gave me a useful hint, which perhaps warrants my doing as much for you.”