he hadn't. It was awful of the
bobbies, wasn't it?"

"Looks so from here," says I. "Was it jew'lry that was missin', or
what?"

"Money, Cook said," says Helma. "Oh, a lot! Fancy! Why, everyone knows
Daddums wouldn't do a thing like that. They could ask Sir Alfred.
Daddums was with him ever so long--since I was a little, little girl."

I glances across at Vee, and she glances back. That's all; but them big
eyes of Helma's don't miss it.

"You--you don't believe he took the money, do you?" says she, wistful
and pleadin'.

At which Vee reaches over and pats her soothin' on the hand. "I don't
believe a word of it," says she.

"He's a good Daddums," goes on Helma, spreadin' the last of the
marmalade on a buttered muffin. "He was going to take me to Australia,
where Uncle Verne has a big sheep ranch. And he'd promised to buy me a
sheep pony, all for my very own. I love riding, don't you? In Egypt I
had a donkey with a white face; but only hired from Hassan, you know.
And in Devon there was a cunning little Shetland that Hobbs would
sometimes let me take out. But here! I stay in a dark little room alone
for hours. I--I don't like it at all. But it costs such a lot to get to
Australia, and Daddums hasn't been well,--he's had a cold on his
chest,--and he's been afraid he would lose his place and have to go to a
hospital. Just before he was taken up, though, he told me we were to
sail for Melbourne soon. Daddums had found a way."

This time I took care that Helma wa'n't lookin' before I glances at Vee.
I shakes my head dubious, indicatin' I wa'n't so sure about Daddums. But
Vee only tosses up her chin and turns to Helma.

"Of course he would!" says she. "What have you in your lap, Child?"

The kid pinks up and produces a battered old doll,--one of these
cloth-topped, everlastin' affairs, that looks like it had come from the
Christmas tree quite some seasons back.

"This is my dear Arabella," says Helma in her old-maid way. "I suppose
I'm too old to play with dolls now; but I--I can't give her up. Only the
night before Daddums went off I missed her for a while and thought she
was lost. I cried myself to sleep. But what do you think? In the morning
I found her again, right beside me on the pillow. I haven't gone a step
without her since."

"You dear little goose!" says Vee, reachin' out impetuous and givin' her
a hug. "And where do you think you're going, you and your Arabella?"

"I don't know," says Helma. "Only I