Falconer now grew suspicious of Beryl’s acquaintance with his chum. Why had she seen him off so affectionately?
“Farrer! Why, he’s a bird of passage--the kind of man who eats his breakfast in London, dines in Paris, and lunches next day beyond the Mont Cenis tunnel. He’s one of the cleverest thieves in all Europe--with Daddy’s brain, of course, behind him,” was Franks’ reply.
Falconer looked across the crowded room to where the old man and the girl were eating their dinner together. To others they appeared to be father and daughter. The man had an evening paper, and now and then glanced at it when the courses were finished.
When Geoffrey and Franks rose, the former looked across and bowed as he went out, full of wonder and suspicion.
The days that followed proved busy days for Geoffrey. An entirely new circuit for wireless telephony had been devised by the well-known radio-expert, Captain Meredith, at the Works, and it was being tested--low voltage on the anode of the valves and a high amperage on the aerial--an achievement which had been attempted for a year with little success. Here, however, the combined brains of the Marconi _personnel_ were again persevering towards perfection, and it had fallen upon Geoffrey to assist in some of the most delicate and intricate experiments.
Hence he had but little time to go up to London to see Sylvia.
One day, about three months later, as he sat down to luncheon in the bright, airy “officers’ mess” at the Works, one of his fellow engineers, named Davies, seated opposite him, exclaimed:
“There’s a big find of gold just made at a mine worked by the Pharaohs in Egypt. By Jove!” he added with a sigh, “mining seems to be more profitable than wireless!”
Geoffrey, pricking up his ears, instantly asked:
“Somewhere on the Red Sea, close to the ruins of an ancient city--I forget the name of the place.”
“Yes--that’s the name of the place. How do you know? I was told in London yesterday, and I was told in confidence,” Davies said.
“By a fellow I know named Farrer. He’s been out there and got a concession from the Egyptian Government. And he’s no doubt made a fortune. I wish I were in his shoes!”
“Is your friend Farrer a mining engineer?” he asked.