as having quite a delightful time--no Aunt Jane
to pull him up, no sermons to write, and a vast amount of variety to
occupy his mind. "We have enjoyed our tea, all of us," he said; "and
now, Fortune, would not you like a cup? Iris, my dear, we'll ring the
bell for some more hot water."

"Thank you, sir" replied Fortune; "but I have no time to eat nor drink
at present. I am on the trail, and no one can get me off it."

"Do you really mean that you have had news of the children?"

"I have had very positive news. Why, they belonged to the circus we
went to see to-day! I had my suspicions as soon as ever I heard that
woman talking and saying that the performance was miserably poor
without the children. At that very instant it came right over me that
it was our little Miss Di who had made things so sparkling and
lively."

"Oh, Fortune! let me go to her," cried Iris. "Is she there? Please,
Fortune, take me to her at once."

"Now, Iris, love, that's just what I can't do. Patience has to be
exercised always in the matter of trails," continued Fortune; "and
when we hurry or flurry ourselves we lose the scent, and then we are
nowhere. The children did belong to the circus, for I had it from the
lips of one of the circus girls. Poor innocent lambs, to think of them
having anything to do with such a defiling place! But there they
were, and there they would not stay, for three nights ago, Iris, they
ran away, and nobody in the wide world knows where they are at the
present moment."

"Well, and what do you propose to do?" said Mr. Dolman. "For my part,
I think the police----"

"Excuse me, sir, this is a matter for me, not the police. I propose,
sir, to stay at Madersley until I bring the children back. I hope to
bring them back to-night."

"To-night!" cried Iris. "Oh, Fortune! do you mean it?"

"Yes, my love. I am an American, and I generally do what I say. I mean
to bring the little dears back to their rightful home to-night. And
now I'm off, and please expect me when you see me."

Fortune turned abruptly and left the hotel. She walked down the High
Street.

"Now," she said to herself, "why should not I just go and pay a visit
to my old friend and neighbor, Matty Bell. I want a woman that is a
gossip just now, and if there is a gossip in the whole of Madersley,
it's Matty Bell. As a rule, I can't abear her, but there are times
when a gossiping woman comes in handy; and Matty's neither very low
nor very high up in the