"Do you think George will be safe here until the morning?"

"I do--perfectly safe," answered Lawson.

"Then I will say good-night. I will come to you, George if I have news,
in the morning."

"Oh, you won't have news," replied George; "there never was such a hard
nut to crack as old Gering."

Effie made no reply.

"Good-night," she said to her brother.

He did not offer to kiss her, but he took her hand and gave it a silent
squeeze. It seemed to Effie then that she got near his heart.

Lawson took her downstairs and put her into a cab.

"You are only wasting your time in going to Mr. Gering," he said, as he
stood for a moment at the cab door.

"I must waste it, then," replied Effie; "for, whatever the consequence,
I am going."

"Then, if you will go, you had better do so early. Gering is always at
his office by nine o'clock. George may quite possibly be arrested
to-morrow morning, and brought before the magistrates at Bow Street at
ten or ten-thirty. When once he is arrested, Mr. Gering can do nothing.
The law then takes up the case, and prosecutes on its own account. You
will see, therefore, that if you wish to save your brother you must be
astir betimes."

"I quite see, and thank you very much," said Effie.

Lawson said good-by, the cab rolled away, and Effie soon found herself
back again at her own lodgings.

She ran upstairs, to find that her mother was still sound asleep. She
sent the two tired girls to bed, and, lying down on the sofa in the
sitting room, tried to sleep. She had left her mother's door slightly
ajar, and knew that she would hear the least movement in the room. All
was perfect stillness, however, and presently Effie fell into a light
doze.

She awoke long before the dawn of day, thought carefully over the whole
complex situation, and then rose and dressed herself. She slipped softly
into her mother's room. The opiate was still taking effect. Mrs.
Staunton's face looked pinched and drawn as it lay on the pillow, there
were blue lines under the eyes, and a blue tint round the lips which
spoke of heart trouble; but just at the present moment the spirit was at
peace, and the body resting calmly.

"Poor mother!" murmured Effie; "poor, tried, faithful heart! If you
really knew what I know, you could not survive the shock. Oh, George!
who could have thought of this who remembered you in the old days? Yes,
I will do what I can to save mother and to rescue you. It is true that I
am only