ly, and simply giving himself up to despair. Isn't it like
saying, `The Bible's no longer a book for me, for God is no longer my
God?' Isn't it like saying, `Prayer is no longer for me, for God will
not hear me.'"

"My dearest wife," said Sir Thomas, anxiously, "don't look at the
darkest side. Don't lose your faith and trust now. My good Mrs Jones,
you see we're in sore trouble. You can understand how our hearts are
almost broken about our erring son, but still he _is_ our son, and very
dear to us; and we want you to help us to find him, if it be possible."

"I'm sure, sir," replied the kind-hearted landlady, "I do feel for you
both with all my heart, and only wish I knew what to advise. But really
I know no more than yourselves where Mr Oldfield is likely to be found.
It seems that he's wished to keep it a secret, and so he has purposely
kept me in the dark."

Sir Thomas sighed.

"I understand exactly how it is," he said. "I do not see what we can
do, except endeavour to get a clue through the police. By the way, Mrs
Jones, you don't happen to know the names or lodgings of any of his
associates? That might help us, if you did."

"I do not, sir; for I never saw one of them enter this house. Your son
never brought any one home with him as I know of. Jacob Poole and he
were the only persons who ever were together here while he had my
lodgings."

"Do you happen, then, ever to have heard him mention where any of his
companions lived? I mean those persons he used to stay out with at
night or in the day?"

"Never, sir."

"Nor so much as the name of any of his associates?"

"Not once, sir. I fear--that is to say--"

"Speak out, Mrs Jones, pray. You know this may be a matter of life and
death to him, and perhaps to us also. Don't be afraid of wounding us;
we want to know everything that can in the least help us in our search."

"Well, sir, I was going to say, only I hesitated to say so much to my
lodger's own father and mother, that I feared he had got mixed up with
companions as wouldn't be likely to meet him in any private house."

"I understand you; you think he met his friends, (his companions or
associates, I mean), at some common rendezvous or club."

"Yes, sir; I fear so from all I heard and saw, and from what Mr Poole
has said."

"I fear, then, that you can afford us no information that will help us
at present. But here is my card; we shall be staying for some days
probably, possibly fo