--at least it has been always assumed--that Gordon
did not come back to England," he continued, speaking openly of his
business, where a more prudent man would have kept his lips closed. "But
I have reason to believe that he did come back, Mrs. Gum; and I want to
find him."

Mrs. Gum wiped her face, covered with drops of emotion.

"Gordon never did come back, I am sure, sir," she said, forgetting all
about titles in her trepidation.

"You don't know that he did not. You may think it; the public may think
it; what's of more moment to Gordon, the police may think it: but you
can't _know_ it. I know he did."

"My lord, he did not; I could--I almost think I could be upon my oath he
did not," she answered, gazing at Lord Hartledon with frightened eyes and
white lips, which, to say the truth, rather puzzled him as he gazed back
from his perch.

"Will you tell me why you assert so confidently that Gordon did not come
back?"

She could not tell, and she knew she could not.

"I can't bear to hear him spoken of, my lord," she said. "He--we look
upon him as my poor boy's murderer," she broke off, with a sob; "and it
is not likely that I could."

Not very logical; but Lord Hartledon allowed for confusion of ideas
following on distress of mind.

"I don't like to speak about him any more than you can like to hear," he
said kindly. "Indeed I am sorry to have grieved you; but if the man is in
London, and can be traced--"

"In London!" she interrupted.

"He was in London last autumn, as I believe--living there."

An expression of relief passed over her features that was quite
perceptible to Lord Hartledon.

"I should not like to hear of his coming near us," she sighed, dropping
her voice to a whisper. "London: that's pretty far off."

"I suppose you are anxious to bring him to justice, Mrs. Gum?"

"No, sir, not now; neither me nor Gum," shaking her head. "Time was,
sir--my lord--that I'd have walked barefoot to see him hanged; but the
years have gone by; and if sorrow's not dead, it's less keen, and we'd be
thankful to let the past rest in peace. Oh, my lord, _don't_ rake him up
again!"

The wild, imploring accents quite startled Lord Hartledon.

"You need not fear," he said, after a pause. "I do not care to see Gordon
hanged either; and though I want to trace his present abode--if it can be
traced--it is not with a view to injuring him."

"But we don't know his abode, my lord," she rejoined in faint
remonstrance