as for
ever pressing forward to the next town to which he had directed letters
to be sent, constantly suffering disappointments when he found the usual
announcement from his solicitor that no news had been obtained of his
missing nephew.

Alice and Harry shared his anxiety; but their pleasure in the new scenes
they were visiting prevented their being so entirely engrossed in the
subject as he was; and although scarcely a day passed without some talk
as to Frank's whereabouts, and the probability of his discovery, they
were able to put the subject aside and to enter with full zest into the
scenes they were visiting. But in Captain Bayley's mind the question was
always uppermost; sincerely attached as he had always been to Frank, the
thought that his favourite might have suffered a cruel and dastardly
wrong, and might now be slaving for his living in some unknown part of
the world, worried and troubled him incessantly, and he felt that, happy
as he was at the discovery of his grandson, he could never be contented
and tranquil until this matter was cleared up. Besides, in his will Fred
Barkley was still standing as heir to one-third of his fortune, and the
thought that he might die before the mystery was cleared up, and that
possibly this property might go to the man he suspected of so foul a
crime, was absolutely intolerable to the old officer. He had, indeed,
been engaged in a correspondence with his lawyer, Mr. Griffith, in
reference to his will, which he wanted worded so that Fred Barkley
should not take the fortune left him until the question of the theft of
the ten pounds should be cleared up. Mr. Griffith pointed out that it
was scarcely possible to frame a will in such a way.

"Had your nephew been publicly accused of the crime, doubtless a clause
might be framed by which the money would remain in the hands of trustees
until he had cleared himself to their satisfaction; but in this case
there is no shadow of suspicion against him. Another person has, in the
eyes of those who know the circumstances of the affair, been adjudged
guilty. No one has breathed a word against the honour of your nephew;
and therefore to say that he shall not touch the legacy until his honour
is cleared would be to take a most extraordinary, and, I think,
unprecedented course. In fact I don't see how it could be done."

Captain Bayley had replied hotly that it must be done, and, owing to his
frequent changes of address, and the time occupi