e fancied
this advertisement must needs bring him some tidings of his lost love.
The mystery might be happily solved after all, and Marian prove true to
him. He tried to persuade himself that this was possible; but it was very
difficult to reconcile her line of conduct with the fact of her regard
for him.

In the evening he went to the Temple, eager to see John Saltram, from
whom he had no intention to keep the secret of his trouble. He found his
friend at home, writing, with his desk pushed against the open window,
and the dust and shabbiness of his room dismally obvious in the hot July
sunshine. He started up as Gilbert entered, and the dark face grew
suddenly pale.

"You took me by surprise," he said. "I didn't know you were in England."

"I only landed two days ago," answered Gilbert, as they shook hands. "I
daresay I startled you a little, dear old fellow, coming in upon you
without a moment's notice, when you fancied I was at the Antipodes. But,
you see, I hunted you up directly I was free."

"You have done well out yonder, I hope, Gilbert?"

"Yes; everything has gone well enough with me in business. But my coming
home has been a dreary one."

"How is that?"

"Captain Sedgewick is dead, and Marian Nowell is lost."

"Lost! What do you mean by that?"

Mr. Fenton told his friend all that had befallen him since his arrival in
England.

"I come to you for counsel and help, John," he said, when he had finished
his story.

"I will give you my help, so far as it is possible for one man to help
another in such a business, and my counsel in all honesty," answered John
Saltram; "but I doubt if you will be inclined to receive it."

"Why should you doubt that?"

"Because it is not likely to agree with your own ideas."

"Speak out, John."

"I think that if Miss Nowell had really loved you, she would never have
taken this step. I think that she must have left Lidford in order to
escape from her engagement, perhaps expecting your early return. I
believe your pursuit of her can only end in failure and disappointment;
and although I am ready to assist you in any manner you wish, I warn you
against sacrificing your life to a delusion."

"It is not under the delusion that Marian Nowell loves me that I am going
to search for her," Gilbert Fenton said slowly, after an interval of
silence. "I am not so weak as to believe _that_ after what has happened,
though I have tried to argue with myself, only this afternoon, t