d dissuaded him from renouncing those stimulants which had proved
to him the cause of sin, ruin, and perhaps death. Yes; who could tell
what might have been now had that unhappy remonstrance never passed her
lips. Ah, it is easy to laugh down, or press down by a mother's
authority, the holy resolve of a child who sees the gigantic monster
drunkenness in some of his hideous proportions, and would gladly take
that step which would keep him, if leaning on grace for strength, free
from the deadly snare; easy to laugh down or crush down that resolve;
but oh, impossible to recall the past, impossible to give back to the
utterly hardened drunkard his fresh vigorous intellect, his nervous
moral power, his unstrained will, his unwarped conscience, his high and
holy resolution! Lady Oldfield felt it; but the past was now gone from
her, beyond the reach of effort, remorse, or prayer. At last, on the
morning of the fourth day, the superintendent again made his appearance.

"Have you found him?" cried both parents in a breath.

"I believe I am on his tracks," was the reply.

"Oh, thank God for that!" cried the poor mother, clasping her hands
together. "He still lives then?"

"I cannot be sure, but I should think so."

"Oh, then, cannot you take us to him?"

"No, madam, not yet; we are only on his tracks at present."

"Would you tell us in what way you have proceeded?" asked Sir Thomas.

"Certainly. In the first place, the young man's photograph was shown to
all our constables. Some thought they knew the face, and could fix upon
the right person in one of the low haunts they are acquainted with. But
after a two days' search they were all disappointed. Young men dress so
much alike in these days that it's often very difficult to tell who's
who till you see them very close. Then I had the likeness taken round
to all the publicans' wives, for the women are closer observers of
features than the men. Some thought they'd seen such a face, some
hesitated, one was quite sure she had. I could tell at once that she
was right."

"When was this?" eagerly asked Lady Oldfield.

"Yesterday."

"And what did she say?"

"She said that he had been there several nights running with two regular
cardsharpers, and they'd been drinking. She was sure it was him, though
he had disguised himself a little."

"And did you find him?"

"No; he hadn't been there for the last two or three nights. Perhaps he
had nothing to spend, for he