went back to London. She was in London.
And while he was glad that she had not gone straight to her own people
with a revelation of her wrongs, he scarcely dared speculate on what
adventures and experiences might have befallen those two girls turned
out into a great city of which they were about equally ignorant.

The day passed somehow, and at night he was on his way to London. Next
morning he went down to Whitehall and saw Ingram.

"Sheila has not gone back to the Highlands, so far as I can make out,"
he said.

"So much the better," was the answer.

"What am I to do? She must be in London, and who knows what may befall
her?"

"I cannot tell you what you should do. Of course you would like to know
where she is; and I fancy she would have no objection herself to letting
you know that she was all right, so long as she knew that you would not
go near her. I don't think she has taken so decided a step merely for
the purpose of being coaxed back again: that is not Sheila's way."

"I won't go near her," he said. "I only want to know that she is safe
and well. I will do whatever she likes, but I must know where she is,
and that she has come to no harm."

"Well," said Ingram slowly, "I was talking the matter over with Mrs.
Lorraine last night--"

"Does _she_ know?" said Lavender, wincing somewhat.

"Certainly," Ingram answered. "I did not tell her. I had promised to go
up there about something quite different, when she immediately began to
tell me the news. Of course it was impossible to conceal such a thing.
Don't all the servants about know?"

"I don't care who knows," said Lavender moodily. "What does Mrs.
Lorraine say about this affair?"

"Mrs. Lorraine says that it serves you right," said Ingram bluntly.

"Thank her very much! I like candor, especially in a fair-weather
friend."

"Mrs. Lorraine is a better friend to you than you imagine," Ingram said,
taking no notice of the sneer. "When she thought that your going to
their house continually was annoying Sheila, she tried to put a stop to
it for Sheila's sake. And now, at this very moment, she is doing her
very best to find out where Sheila is; and if she succeeds she means to
go and plead your cause with the girl."

"I will not have her do anything of the kind," said Lavender fiercely.
"I will plead my own cause with Sheila. I will have forgiveness from
Sheila herself alone--not brought to me by any intermeddling woman."

"You needn't call names," sai