usiness instinct was aroused. He realized that here might be
"material," indeed. He was young and sincere enough to be enthusiastic.
Times were a little dull. There was quite a lull in murders and
robberies; this story suggested either a robbery or swindle of some
sort, and on a big scale. His paper would appreciate his getting a
"scoop" on its contemporaries, and, in a word, he resolved to make
Jessica Trent's cause his own, for the time being.

"Look here, child, don't you worry. You stay right quiet in this
place with Matron Wood. I'll get out and hustle. Here's my card, Ninian
Sharp, of _The Lancet_. That's a paper has cut a good many knots and
shall cut yours. I've heard of Cassius Trent. Everybody has, in
California. I'll find that Lawyer Hale. I'll find old 'Forty-niner'
and I'll be back in this room before bedtime. Now, go play with the
rest of the lost children--you're by no means the only one in Los
Angeles to-day. Or take a nap would be wiser. Look out for her, Matron
Wood. Any good turn done this little maid is done _The Lancet_. Good-by,
for a time."

Smiling, alert, he departed and Jessica felt as if he had taken all her
anxieties with him. She followed the matron into the big room where the
other estrays, whom Mr. Sharp had told her she would find, waiting to
be claimed by their friends, but none was as large as she. Some were so
little she wondered how they ever could have wandered anywhere away from
home; but she loved all children and these reminded her of Ned and Luis.

Promptly she had them all about her, and for the rest of that day, at
least, Matron Wood's cares were lightened. Yet one after another, some
person called to claim this or that wanderer, with cries of rapture
or harsh words of reproof, as the case might be. Jessica kissed each
little one good-by, but with each departure felt herself growing more
homesick and depressed. By sunset she was the only child left in the
matron's care, and her loneliness so overcame her that she had trouble
to keep back her tears.

"But I'll not cry. I will not be so babyish. Besides crying wouldn't
help bad matters and I've come away from Sobrante on a big mission.
Even that jolly Mr. Sharp said, 'That's a considerable of a job,' when
I told him. He was funny. Always laughing and so quick, I wish he'd
come soon. It seems to take as long for him to find Ephraim as it would
me. I should think anybody could have walked the whole city over by this
time," she