d have told me. Was I too severe and strict with them, the
darlings? I meant to act for the best, but I am a foolish old woman--if
only the punishment of my mistakes could fall on me alone! Ah dear, ah
dear!--it would have been hard to lose them by death, but in that case I
should have felt that they were going to their father and mother; while
_now_--it is awful to picture where they may be, or what may have become
of them! Oh Toby, is it you, you poor little dog?" for just at this
moment Toby rubbed himself against her foot, looking up in her face with
a sad wistful expression in his bright eyes. "Oh Toby, Toby," said
Grandmamma, "I wonder if you could tell us anything to clear up this
dreadful mystery if you could talk."

But Toby only wagged his tail--he was very sad too, but he had far too
much self-respect _not_ to wag his tail when he was kindly spoken to,
however depressed he might be feeling--and looked up again, blinking his
eyes behind their shaggy veil.

"Oh Toby," said poor Grandmamma again, as if she really did not know
what else to say.

And Grandpapa, half ashamed of his own prostration, roused himself to
try to say a cheering word or two.

"We must hope still, my love," he said. "To-morrow may bring news from
the Central London Police Office, where the Sandlingham overseer has
written to. He bade us keep up hope for a few days yet, we must
remember."

"Only for a few days more," repeated Grandmamma. "And if those days
bring nothing, what _are_ we to think--what are we to do?"

"Upon my soul," said Grandpapa, "I do _not_ know;" and with a heavy sigh
he turned away again, glancing at the newspaper as if half inclined to
open it, but without the heart to do so.

"Of course," he said, "if by any possibility they had fallen into kind
hands, and it had occurred to any one to advertise about them, we should
have known it before this. The police are all on the alert by now. If
dishonest people have carried them off for the sake of a reward, they
will find means of claiming it before long. The head-man at Sandlingham
does not advise our offering a reward as yet. He says it might lead to
more delay if they are in dishonest hands. Their captors would wait to
see if more would not be offered--better let them make the first move,
he says."

"To think of putting a price on the darlings, as if they were little
strayed dogs!" exclaimed Grandmamma, lifting her hands.

Just at this moment the door opened, and