.

"I mean, had he dropped his surname? Look here."

And he showed Booms the paragraph which appeared in the London papers
the morning after Reginald's arrest.

"That looks very much as if it was meant for Cruden," said Harker--"all
except the name. If it is, that was Tuesday he was remanded, and to-day
is the day he is to be brought up again. Oh, why didn't we know this
before?"

"Yes. I knew I was to blame. I knew it all along," said Booms, taking
every expression of regret as a personal castigation.

"It will be all over before any one can do a thing," said Harker,
getting up and pacing the room in his agitation. "Why _doesn't_ Horace
come?"

As if in answer to the appeal, Horace at that moment opened the door.

"Why, Harker, old man!" he exclaimed with delight in his face and voice
as he sprang towards his friend.

"Horrors, my poor dear boy," said Harker, "don't be glad to see me.
I've bad news, and there's no time to break it gently. It's about
Reginald. He's in trouble--in prison. I'll come with you to Liverpool
this morning; there is a train in twenty minutes."

Horace said nothing. He turned deadly pale and gazed for a moment half
scared, half appealing, at his friend. Booms remembered something he
had to do in another room, and went to the door.

"Do you mind getting a hansom?" said Harker.

The words roused Horace from his stupor.

"Mother," he gasped, "she's ill."

"We shall be home again to-night most likely," said Harker.

"I must tell Granville," said Horace.

"Your chief. Well, be quick, the cab will be here directly."

Horace went to the inner room and in a minute returned, his face still
white but with a burning spot on either cheek.

"All right?" inquired Harker.

Horace nodded, and followed him to the door.

In a quarter of an hour they were at Euston in the booking office.

"I have no money," said Horace.

"I have, plenty for us both. Go and get some papers, especially
Liverpool ones, at the book-stall while I get the tickets."

It was a long memorable journey. The papers were soon exhausted. They
contained little or no additional news respecting the obscure suspect in
Liverpool, and beyond that they had no interest for either traveller.

"We shall get down at three," said Harker; "there's a chance of being in
time."

"In time for what? what can we do?"

"Try and get another remand, if only for a couple of days. I can't
believe it of Reg. There must b