heltenham, but was not allowed
to see her." This he said with an assertion to himself that though he
had lied as to one particular he would not lie as to any other.

"I suppose she must have been much cut up by it all. I have half a mind
to declare to myself that she shall still have an opportunity of
becoming the mistress of Tretton. She was always afraid of Mountjoy, but
I do not know that she ever loved him. She had become so used to the
idea of marrying him that she would have given herself up in mere
obedience. I too think that she might do as a wife, and I shall
certainly make a better husband than Mountjoy would have done."

"Miss Mountjoy will certainly do as a wife for any one who may be lucky
enough to get her," said Harry, with a certain tone of magnificence
which at the moment he felt to be overstrained and ridiculous.

"Oh yes; one has got to get her, as you call it, of course. You mean to
say that you are supposed to be in the running. That is your own
lookout. I can only allege, on my own behalf, that it has always been
considered to be an old family arrangement that Florence Mountjoy shall
marry the heir to Tretton Park. I am in that position now, and I only
throw it out as a hint that I may feel disposed to follow out the family
arrangement. Of course if other things come in the way there will be an
end of it. Come in." This last invitation was given in consequence of a
knock at the door. The door was opened, and there entered a policeman in
plain clothes named Prodgers, who seemed from his manner to be well
acquainted with Augustus Scarborough.

The police for some time past had been very busy on the track of
Mountjoy Scarborough, but had not hitherto succeeded in obtaining any
information. Such activity as had been displayed cannot be procured
without expense, and it had been understood in this case that old Mr.
Scarborough had refused to furnish the means. Something he had supplied
at first, but had latterly declined even to subscribe to a fund. He was
not at all desirous, he said, that his son should be brought back to the
world, particularly as he had made it evident by his disappearance that
he was anxious to keep out of the way. "Why should I pay the fellows?
It's no business of mine," he had said to his son. And from that moment
he had declined to do more than make up the first subscription which had
been suggested to him. But the police had been kept very busy, and it
was known that the fund