Hawthorne to-night?"

"I am," returned Enderby, hastily looking at his watch; "but I shall
come over again, sir, and see what can be done. In the meantime, will
you not assist me in some way--by speaking to Antoine, who has picked
up a little English, or by conferring with the priest?"

Ringfield hesitated.

"The question is," he replied, "whether as this affair is now
practically inside another parish and another village, I have any
business to interest myself in it at all. Well,--I will think about
it, Enderby, I will think about it, and possibly I may be able to help
you. You would like to get the child away? I see the propriety, even
the need of that."

He suddenly thought of something which had not occurred to him before.
"How would it be if I were to assume control of the affair for you?
Supposing that without much trouble, I and Father Rielle look into the
matter and endeavour to remove the child from her present home and have
her admitted to some institution? Would you still insist on its being
done in such a way that parentage and--and so on, must all be made
clear?"

Enderby was silent, but the angry flushing of his face had subsided a
little. Ringfield saw his chance and pressed it home.

"Try and see if that would not be the better way--to let me control the
matter and quietly take the child away without any fuss and scandal and
naming of names. In the meantime I can make my inquiries and
communicate with you. Dr. Renaud now--he will be able to advise us,
and I should think your own rector and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Abercorn,
for I hear the lady has done a great deal of the parish work; but if
you think it better to leave it entirely to me, I will see what can be
done."

"The rector, sir, is easy, terrible easy in his ways; he would let
anything go on for any length of time to save trouble.
Well--good-night to you, sir, and you may expect to see me again soon."

"Good-night, Enderby, good-night. We have had a very successful
entertainment, I think.--Here is Poussette going to turn us out; it's
after eleven!"

An unusual hauteur in the Frenchman's demeanour did not escape the
minister, who was not, however, disposed to ask any questions. The
truth was--the unexpected turn in Crabbe's fortunes had been partially
explained to the host, but to no one else, and secrecy had been
impressed upon him. The ex-guide had displayed a wealth of money, had
received and dispatched letters and telegram