"A clue, father--you mean about young Forrester?"

"About both. It's the most mixed-up affair I was ever in. Who do you
suppose has written in answer to our advertisement about Forrester?"

"Has he replied himself?" asked Raby disingenuously; for she guessed the
truth.

"Not a bit of it. The letter's from Jeffreys. He doesn't sign his
name, of course; but he writes to say that he was at Bolsover, and was
responsible for the accident, and repeats what Rimbolt knows already
about his trying to hear of them in his native place. There's nothing
very fresh about Forrester; but it may lead to our finding Jeffreys."

"Of course," said Raby, finding it hard to conceal her emotion, "he has
written to the lawyers. Does he give an address, then?"

"No--only a coffee-house in Drury Lane. He's evidently on his guard
against a trap. He writes private and confidential; but you can see he
is ready to do anything to find Forrester."

"What shall you do?"

"Well, Rimbolt says leave it to the lawyers. Of course we've no right
to trap him, and Rimbolt thinks Wilkins & Wilkins had better not mention
our names, but let him know they are acting for Forrester's executors.
If he's not scared during the first visit or two, he may consent to see
me, or Percy--and among us we may be able to help him out of his present
condition, which, to judge by his letter, I should fancy is rather
reduced. He has been asked to call at Wilkins' on Wednesday, and they
have promised to treat the matter as confidential--and we shall just
have to trust they will manage to talk him round."

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

A BRAND FROM THE BURNING!

Little suspecting the interest which his movements were causing
elsewhere, Jeffreys, on the appointed Wednesday, presented himself at
Messrs. Wilkins & Wilkins' office. He was so much changed by eight
months' misery and privation that no ordinary acquaintance would have
recognised in the broken-down, haggard man who entered the office the
once robust and stalwart librarian of Wildtree. Even Percy would have
had to look at him twice to make sure.

Mr Wilkins looked up curiously at his visitor.

"Ah," said he, "you have called in reference to that advertisement about
Gerard Forrester. Quite so. Let me see. I have your letter here, Mr
--"

"It is not necessary to know my name," said Jeffreys.

"Just as you please. Of course, as you say you were at Bolsover School
with Forrester, and were the cau