A strange expression shot into Mrs. Dodd's
eye: she pinched Edward's arm to keep him
quiet, and said with feigned indifference:

"Then it was the one who was in such danger
with my husband last night?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Archbold, off her guard.
It had not occurred to her that this handsome,
fashionably-dressed young gentleman, was
the fireman of last night. She saw her mistake,
though, the moment he said bluntly, "Why you
told my mother it was an attendant."

"Did I, madam?" asked Mrs. Archbold,
mighty innocently: "I suppose I thought so.
Well, I was mistaken, unfortunately."

Mrs. Dodd was silent a moment, then, somewhat
hastily, bade Mrs. Archbold good-by. She
told the cabman to drive to an old acquaintance
of ours, Mr. Green. He had set up detective
on his own account. He was not at his office,
but expected. She sat patiently down till he
came in. They put their heads together, and
Green dashed down to the asylum with a
myrmidon, while Mrs. Dodd went into the City to
obtain leave of absence from Cross and Co. This
was politely declined at first, but on Mrs. Dodd
showing symptoms of leaving them altogether,
it was conceded. She returned home with
Edward, and there was Mr. Green; he had
actually traced the fugitives by broken fences, and
occasional footsteps in the side-clay of ditches,
so far as to leave no doubt they had got upon
the great south-eastern road. Then Mrs. Dodd
had a female inspiration. "The Dover road!
ah! my husband will make for the sea."

"I shouldn't wonder, being a sailor," said
Green: "it is a pleasure to work with a lady like
you, that puts in a good hint. Know anything
about the other one, ma'am?"

Mrs. Dodd almost started at this off-hand
question. But it was a natural one for Green to
ask.

She said gravely, "I do. To my cost."

Green's eye sparkled, and he took out his
note-book. "Now where is he like to make
for?"

Mrs. Dodd seemed to wince at the question,
and then turn her eyes inward to divine. The
result was she gave a downright shudder, and said
evasively, "Being with David, I hope and pray
he will go towards the coast."

"No, no," said Green, "it won't do to count
on that altogether. How do we know which of
the two will lead the other? You must please
to put Mr. Dodd out of the question, ma'am, for
a moment. Now we'll say No. 2 is escaped
alone: where is he like to run to?"

Mrs. Dodd thus pressed, turned her eyes more
and more inward, and said at last in a very low
voice, and with a sort of concentrated horror,

"He will come to my house."

Mr. Green booked this eagerly. The lady's
emotion was nothing to him; the hint was
invaluable, the combination interesting. "Well,
ma'am," said he, "I'll plant a good man in sight
of your door: and I'll take the Dover road
directly with my drag. My teeth weren't strong
enough for the last nut you gave me to crack:
let us try this one; Tom Green isn't often beat
twice running."

"I will go with you, Mr. Green."

"Honoured and proud, ma'am. But a lady
like you in my dog-cart along o' me and my
mate!"

Mrs. Dodd waived this objection almost
contemptuously; she was all wife now.

It was agreed that Green should drive round
for her in an hour. He departed for the present,
and Edward proposed to go in the dog-cart too,
but she told him no; she wanted him at home to
guard his sister against 'the Wretch.'" Then
seeing him look puzzled, "Consider, Edward,"
said she, "he is not like your poor father: he
has not forgotten. That advertisement, Aileen
Aroon, it was from him, you know. And then
why does he attach himself so to poor papa?
Don't you see it is because he is Julia's father.
'The Wretch' loves her still."

Edward from puzzled looked very grave.
"What a head you have got, mamma?" he said.
"I should never have seen all this: yet it's plain
enough now, as you put it."

"Yes it is plain. Our darling is betrothed to a
maniac; that maniac loves her; and much I
fear she loves him. Some new calamity is
impending. Oh, my son, I feel it already heavy
on my heart. What is it to be? Is your father
to be led to destruction, or will that furious
wretch burst in upon your sister, and kill her,
or perhaps kill Mr. Hurd, if he catches them
together. What may not happen now? The
very air seems to me swarming with calamities."

"Oh, I'll take care of all that," said Edward.
And he comforted her a little by promising
faithfully not to let Julia go out of his sight till
her return.

She put on a plain travelling-dress. The dog-
cart came. She slipped fifty sovereigns into
Mr. Green's hands for expenses, and off they
went at a slapping pace. The horse was a great
bony hunter of rare speed and endurance, and
his long stride and powerful action raised poor
Mrs. Dodd's hopes, and the rushing air did her
good. Green, to her surprise, made few inquiries
for some miles on the Dover road; but he
explained to her that the parties they were after had
probably walked all night. "They don't tire,
that sort," said Mr. Green.

At Dartford they got a doubtful intimation,
on the strength of which he rattled on to
Rochester. There he pulled up, deposited Mrs.
Dodd at the principal inn till morning, and
scoured the town for intelligence.

He inquired of all the policemen; described
his men, and shrewdly added out of his intelligence,
"Both splashed and dirty."

No, the Bobbies had not seen them.

Then he walked out to the side of the town
nearest London, and examined all the dealers in
food. At last he found a baker who, early that
morning, had sold a quartern loaf to two tall