Ileftthehouse，feelingthatMrsCatherickhadhelpedmeastepforward，inspiteofherself。BeforeIhadreachedtheturningwhichledoutofthesquare，myattentionwassuddenlyarousedbythesoundofaclosingdoorbehindme。
Ilookedround，andsawanundersizedmaninblackonthedoor-stepofahouse，which，aswellasIcouldjudge，stoodnexttoMrsCatherick’splaceofabode——nexttoit，onthesidenearesttome。Themandidnothesitateamomentaboutthedirectionheshouldtake。HeadvancedrapidlytowardstheturningatwhichIhadstopped。Irecognisedhimasthelawyer’sclerk，whohadprecededmeinmyvisittoBlackwaterPark，andwhohadtriedtopickaquarrelwithme，whenIaskedhimifIcouldseethehouse。
IwaitedwhereIwas，toascertainwhetherhisobjectwastocometoclosequartersandspeakonthisoccasion。Tomysurprisehepassedonrapidly，withoutsayingaword，withoutevenlookingupinmyfaceashewentby。ThiswassuchacompleteinversionofthecourseofproceedingwhichIhadeveryreasontoexpectonhispart，thatmycuriosity，orrathermysuspicion，wasaroused，andIdeterminedonmysidetokeephimcautiouslyinview，andtodiscoverwhatthebusinessmightbeinwhichhewasnowemployed。Withoutcaringwhetherhesawmeornot，Iwalkedafterhim。Heneverlookedback，andheledmestraightthroughthestreetstotherailwaystation。
Thetrainwasonthepointofstarting，andtwoorthreepassengerswhowerelatewereclusteringroundthesmallopeningthroughwhichtheticketswereissued。Ijoinedthem，anddistinctlyheardthelawyer’sclerkdemandaticketfortheBlackwaterstation。IsatisfiedmyselfthathehadactuallyleftbythetrainbeforeIcameaway。
TherewasonlyoneinterpretationthatIcouldplaceonwhatIhadjustseenandheard。IhadunquestionablyobservedthemanleavingahousewhichcloselyadjoinedMrsCatherick’sresidence。Hehadbeenprobablyplacedthere，bySirPercival’sdirections，asalodger，inanticipationofmyinquiriesleadingme，soonerorlater，tocommunicatewithMrsCatherick。Hehaddoubtlessseenmegoinandcomeout，andhehadhurriedawaybythefirsttraintomakehisreportatBlackwaterPark，towhichplaceSirPercivalwouldnaturallybetakehimselfknowingwhatheevidentlyknewofmymovements，inordertobereadyonthespot，ifIreturnedtoHampshire。Beforemanydayswereover，thereseemedeverylikelihoodnowthatheandImightmeet。