uickened breath.

"Believe it! Not I! No one believes it who knows anything about her.
Waymark said he wouldn't have believed it if all the courts in England
found you guilty."

"_He_ said that?" she exclaimed. Then, as if suddenly becoming clearer
about her position: "Where is Mr. Waymark? Why didn't he meet me as he
promised?"

Abraham hesitated, but speedily made up his mind that it would be best
to speak the truth.

"I know as little as you do. He ought to have come to me yesterday, but
he didn't, and I can't discover him. I got Mr. Casti to meet you
instead."

The keenest trouble manifested itself on Ida's countenance. She asked
questions in rapid succession, and thus elicited an explanation of all
the circumstances hitherto unknown to her.

"Have you been through the houses?" she inquired, all her native energy
restored by apprehension. "Haven't you thought that he may have been
robbed and--"

She stopped, overcome by sudden weakness, and sank into the chair.

"Come, come, it isn't so bad as all that," said the old man, observing
her closely. "He may turn up at any moment; all sorts of unexpected
things may have happened. But I'll go again to his lodgings, and if I
can't hear anything there, I'll set the police to work. Will you
promise me to wait here quietly?"

"No, that I can't do. I want to move about; I must do something. Let me
go with you to look for him."

"No, no; that'll never do, Ida."

The power of speaking tenderly seemed to have been given to him all at
once; this and his calling her "Ida," struck so upon the girl's
agitated feelings that she began to sob.

"Let me, let me go with you! I will forget everything--I will be your
child--I will try to love you.--"

She was as weak as water, and would have sunk to the ground if Abraham
had not given her his support just in time. He could not find words to
soothe her, but passed his hand very tenderly over her head.

"We are losing time!" she exclaimed, forcing herself into an appearance
of calmness. "Come at once."

CHAPTER XXX

ELM COURT

In Beaufort Street they only learnt that Waymark had not yet been home.
Thence they drove to the east, and stopped at a police-station, where
Abraham saw the inspector. The latter suggested that Mr. Woodstock
should go through all the houses which Waymark would have visited; if
that search proved fruitless, the police would pursue the matter. Ida
insisted on being allowed to accompanying h