s soon expect
to see strawberries growing on a thorn-bush. There isn't the least
resemblance between them."

"You know I have not seen Mrs. Hardwick, so I cannot judge on that
point."

"No great loss," said Jack. "You wouldn't care much about seeing her
again. She is a tall, gaunt, disagreeable looking woman; while Ida is
fair, and sweet looking. I didn't fancy this Mrs. Hardwick when I first
set eyes on her. Aunt Rachel was right, for once."

"What did she think?"

"She took a dislike to her, and declared that it was only a plot to get
possession of Ida; but then, that was what we expected of Aunt Rachel."

"Still, it seems difficult to imagine any satisfactory motive on the
part of this woman, supposing she is not Ida's mother."

"Mother, or not," returned Jack, "she's got possession of Ida; and,
from all that you say, she is not the best person to bring her up. I am
determined to rescue Ida from this she-dragon. Will you help me, uncle?"

"You may count upon me, Jack, for all I can do."

"Then," said Jack, with energy, "we shall succeed. I feel sure of it.
'Where there's a will there's a way,' you know."

CHAPTER XVIII. FINESSE.

THE next thing to be done by Jack was, of course, in some way to obtain
a clew to the whereabouts of Peg, or Mrs. Hardwick, to use the name by
which he knew her. No mode of proceeding likely to secure this result
occurred to him, beyond the very obvious one of keeping in the street as
much as possible, in the hope that chance might bring him face to face
with the object of his pursuit.

Fortunately her face was accurately daguerreotyped in his memory, so
that he felt certain of recognizing her, under whatever circumstances
they might meet.

In pursuance of this, the only plan which suggested itself, Jack became
a daily promenader in Chestnut and other streets. Many wondered what
could be the object of the young man who so persistently frequented the
thoroughfares. It was observed that, while he paid no attention to young
ladies, he scrutinized the faces of all middle-aged or elderly women
whom he met, a circumstance likely to attract remark, in the case of a
well-made youth like Jack.

Several days passed, and, although he only returned to his uncle's house
at the hour of meals, he had the same report to bring on each occasion.

"I am afraid," said the baker, "it will be as hard as finding a needle
in a hay-stack, to hope to meet the one you seek, among so many faces