found what he sought for. It
was a leaf, scrawled over in a trembling manner, and ran thus: "Consult
the bearer of this, Dr. Layton, about Clara; he is my only friend at
this dreadful hour, and he is to be trusted in all things. Watch well
that they who have murdered _me_ do not rob _her_. He will tell you--"
It concluded thus abruptly, but was signed firmly, "Godfrey Hawke, Nest,
Jersey," with the date; and underneath, "To Harvey Winthrop, Norfolk, D.
S."

"This would be a meagre letter of credit, Alfred, to most men; but
I have heard much of this same Winthrop. All represent him as a
fine-hearted, generous fellow, who has done already much to trace
out his niece, and restore to her what she owns. If we succeed in
discovering him, I mean to offer my services to search out the girl.
I saw, a short time before I left England, one of the men who were
implicated in the murder. I knew him at once. The threat of reviving the
old story of shame will soon place him in my power, if I can but find
him; and through _him_ I am confident we shall trace _her_."

To understand the ardor with which the old man entered upon this
inquiry, one must have known the natures of those men to whom the
interest of such a search has all the captivation of a game. It was, to
his thinking, like some case of subtle analysis, in which the existence
of a certain ingredient was to be tested; it was a problem requiring
all his acuteness to solve, and he addressed himself to the task with
energy and zeal. The young man was not slow to associate himself in
the enterprise; and in his desire for success there mingled generous
thoughts and more kindly sympathies, which assuredly did not detract
from the interest of the pursuit.

The theme engrossed all their thoughts; they discussed it in every
fashion, speculated on it in every shape, pictured to themselves almost
every incident and every stage of the inquiry, imagining the various
obstacles that might arise, and planning how to overcome them. Thus
journeying they arrived at Chicago, but only to learn that Winthrop had
left that city, and was now established farther to the westward, at a
place called Gallina. Without halting or delay they started for Gallina.
The road was a new and a bad one, the horses indifferent, and the stages
unusually long. It was on the fourth evening of the journey that they
arrived at a small log-house on the skirt of a pine wood, at which they
were given to expect fresh horse