deep breath.

'Yes, go there,' said Snowdon; 'but afterwards go to the Hewetts'. If
she _hasn't_ written to them, or let them have news of any kind, her
father oughtn't to be kept in ignorance for another hour.'

'He ought to have been told before this,' replied Sidney ill a thick
under-voice. 'He ought to have been told on Saturday. And the blame'll
be mine.'

It is an experience familiar to impulsive and self-confident men that a
moment's crisis may render scarcely intelligible a mode of thought or
course of action which till then one had deemed perfectly rational.
Sidney, hopeless in spite of the pretences he made, stood aghast at the
responsibility he had taken upon himself. It was so obvious to him now
that he ought to have communicated to John Hewett without loss of time
the news which Mrs. Hewett brought on Saturday morning. But could he be
sure that John was still in ignorance of Clara's movements? Was it not
all but certain that Mrs. Hewett must have broken the news before this?
If not, there lay before him a terrible duty.

The two went forth together, and another visit was paid to the
lodging-house. After that Sidney called upon Mrs. Tubbs, and made a
simple inquiry for Clara, with the anticipated result.

'You won't find her in this part of London, it's my belief,' said the
woman significantly. 'She's left the lodgings as she took--so much I
know. Never meant to stay there, not she! You're a friend of her
father's, mister?'

Sidney could not trust himself to make a reply. He rejoined Snowdon at
a little distance, and expressed his intention of going at once to
Clerkenwell Close.

'Let me see you again to-day,' said the old man sadly.

Sidney promised, and they took leave of each other. It was now nearing
ten o'clock. In the Close an organ was giving delight to a great crowd
of children, some of them wearing holiday garb, but most clad in the
native rags which served them for all seasons and all days. The volume
of clanging melody fell with torture upon Kirkwood's ear, and when he
saw that the instrument was immediately before Mrs. Peckover's house,
he stood aside in gloomy impatience, waiting till it should move away.
This happened in a few minutes. The house door being open, he walked
straight upstairs.

On the landing he confronted Mrs. Hewett; she started on seeing him,
and whispered a question. The exchange of a few words apprised Sidney
that Hewett did not even know of Clara's having quitted