to all of which the other listened with rapt attention.
A long discussion followed this revelation. Lord Chetwynde could not
help seeing that Miss Lorton had been betrayed by her sister as well
as by Gualtier, and felt painfully affected by the coldblooded
cruelty with which the abstraction of the money was managed. To him
this "Ella Lorton" seemed wronged as no one had ever been wronged
before, and his heart burned to assist Obed Chute in his work of
vengeance.

He said as much. "But I fear," he added, "that there is not much
chance. At any rate, it will be a work of years; and long before
then, in fact, before many weeks, I expect to be on my way back to
India. As to this wretched, this guilty pair, it is my opinion that
they have fled to America. Hilda Lorton can not be old in crime, and
her first instinct would be to fly from England. If you ever find
those wretches, it will be there."

"I dare say you are right," said Obed. "But," he added, in tones of
grim determination, "if it takes years to find this out, I am ready.
I am willing to spend years in the search. The police of Italy and of
France are already on the track of this affair. It is my intention to
direct the London police to the same game, and on my way back I'll
give notice at Berlin and Vienna, so as to set the Prussian and
Austrian authorities to work. If all these combined can't do any
thing, then I'll begin to think that these devils are not in Europe.
If they are in America, I know a dozen New York detectives that can
do something in the way of finding out even more artful scoundrels
than these. For my own part, if, after ten years of incessant labor,
any light is thrown on this, I shall be fully rewarded. I'd spend
twice the time if I had it for her, the poor little thing!"

Obed spoke like a tender, pitying father, and his tones vibrated to
the heart of Lord Chetwynde.

For a time he was the subject of a mighty struggle. The deepest
feelings of his nature were all concerned here. Might he not now make
this the object of his life--to give up every thing, and search out
these infernal criminals, and avenge that fair girl whose image had
been fixed so deeply on his heart? But, then, he feared this task.
Already she had chained him to Marseilles, and still he looked back
with anguish upon the horror of that last parting with her. All his
nature yearned and longed to feel once more the sunshine of her
presence; but, on account of the very intensit