r, were
all searched. He took some of the police into his confidence, and had
half a dozen pairs of eyes besides his own opened pretty widely, to
discover the lost girl.

On Sunday, the 19th, he got the first hint which encouraged him to think
he was on the trail of his fugitive. He had gone down again to the wharf
where the Swordfish, advertised to sail the next day, was lying. The
captain was not on board, but one of the mates was there, and he
addressed his questions to him, not with any great hope of hearing
anything important, but determined to lose no chance, however small. He
was startled with a piece of information which gave him such an exquisite
pang of delight that he could hardly keep the usual quiet of his
demeanor. A youth corresponding to his description of Myrtle Hazard in
her probable disguise had been that morning on board the Swordfish,
making many inquires as to the hour at which she was to sail, and who
were to be the passengers, and remained some time on board, going all
over the vessel, examining her cabin accommodations, and saying he should
return to-morrow before she sailed,--doubtless intending to take passage
in her, as there was plenty of room on board. There could be little
question, from the description, who this young person was. It was a
rather delicate--looking, dark--haired youth, smooth-faced, somewhat shy
and bashful in his ways, and evidently excited and nervous. He had
apparently been to look about him, and would come back at the last
moment, just as the vessel was ready to sail, and in an hour or two be
beyond the reach of inquiry.

Murray Bradshaw returned to his hotel, and, going to his chamber,
summoned all his faculties in state council to determine what course he
should follow, now that he had the object of his search certainly within
reaching distance. There was no danger now of her eluding him; but the
grave question arose, what was he to do when he stood face to face with
her. She must not go,--that was fixed. If she once got off in that
ship, she might be safe enough; but what would become of certain projects
in which he was interested,--that was the question. But again, she was
no child, to be turned away from her adventure by cajolery, or by any
such threats as common truants would find sufficient to scare them back
to their duty. He could tell the facts of her disguise and the manner of
her leaving home to the captain of the vessel, and induce him to send