ind anything, an old letter or
such-like, that might be a help to him in going after his friends, and
mother took him upstairs."

"Did he find anything?"

"No, sir; Mr. Nowell hadn't left so much as a scrap of paper about the
place. So the gentleman thanked mother, and went away in the same cab as
had brought him."

"Do you know where he was going?"

"I fancy he was going to Liverpool after Mr. Nowell and his daughter. He
seemed all in a fever, like a person that's ready to do anything
desperate. But I heard him tell the cabman Cavendish-square."

"Cavendish-square! Yes, I can guess where he was going. But what could he
want there?" Gilbert said to himself, while the girl stared at him
wonderingly, thinking that he, as well as the other gentleman, had gone
distraught on account of Mr. Nowell's daughter.

"Thank you for answering my questions so patiently, and good-night," said
Gilbert, slipping some silver into her hand; for his quick eye had
observed the faded condition of her finery, and a general air of poverty
conspicuous in her aspect. "Stay," he added, taking out his card-case;
"if you should hear anything farther of these people, I should be much
obliged by your sending me word at that address."

"I won't forget, sir; not that I think we're likely to hear any more of
them, they being gone straight off to America."

"Perhaps not. But if you do hear anything, let me know."

He had dismissed his cab on alighting in Coleman-street, believing that
his journey was ended; but the walk to Cavendish-square was a short one,
and he set out at a rapid pace.

The check that had befallen him was a severe one. It seemed a deathblow
to all hope, a dreary realization of that vague dread which had pursued
him from the first. If Marian had indeed started for America, what new
difficulties must needs attend every effort to bring her back; since it
was clear that her father's interests were involved in keeping her under
his influence, and separating her entirely from her husband. The journey
to New York was no doubt intended to secure this state of things. In
America, in that vast country, with which this man was familiar with long
residence, how easy for him to hide her for ever from her friends! how
vain would all inquiries, all researches be likely to prove!

At the ultimate moment, in the hour of hope and rejoicing, he was lost to
them irrevocably.

"Yet criminals have been traced upon the other side of the Atlantic