ter Place. Mr. Boddington
had just taken his wife down to Margate for her health; had only been
gone half an hour.

This was truly irritating and annoying. Apparently Sir Charles must
wait that gentleman's return. He wrote a line, begging Mr. Boddington
to send him Lady Bassett's address in a cab immediately on his return.

He told Mr. Rolfe this; and then for the first time let out that his
wife's not writing to him at the asylum had surprised and alarmed him;
he was on thorns.

Mr. Boddington returned in the middle of the night, and at breakfast
time Sir Charles had a note to say Lady Bassett was at 119 Gloucester
Place, Portman Square.

Sir Charles bolted a mouthful or two of breakfast, and then dashed off
in a hansom to 119 Gloucester Place.

There was a bill in the window, "To be let, furnished. Apply to Parker
& Ellis."

He knocked at the door. Nobody came. Knocked again. A lugubrious female
opened the door.

"Lady Bassett?"

"Don't live here, sir. House to be let."

Sir Charles went to Mr. Boddington and told him.

Mr. Boddington said he thought he could not be mistaken; but he would
look at his address-book. He did, and said it was certainly 119
Gloucester Place; "Perhaps she has left," said he. "She was very
healthy--an excellent patient. But I should not have advised her to
move for a day or two more."

Sir Charles was sore puzzled. He dashed off to the agents, Parker &
Ellis.

They said, Yes; the house was Lady Bassett's for a few months. They
were instructed to let it.

"When did she leave? I am her husband, and we have missed each other
somehow."

The clerk interfered, and said Lady Bassett had brought the keys in her
carriage yesterday.

Sir Charles groaned with vexation and annoyance.

"Did she give you no address?"

"Yes, sir. Huntercombe Hall."

"I mean no address in London?"

"No, sir; none."

Sir Charles was now truly perplexed and distressed, and all manner of
strange ideas came into his head. He did not know what to do, but he
could not bear to do nothing, so he drove to the _Times_ office and
advertised, requesting Lady Bassett to send her present address to Mr.
Rolfe.

At night he talked this strange business over with Mr. Rolfe.

That gentleman thought she must have gone to Huntercombe; but by the
last post a letter came from Suaby, inclosing one from Lady Bassett to
her husband.

"119 Gloucester Place.

"DARLING--The air here is not good for baby, and I ca