ur of the morning; for the huge young man with the
rollicking face and curly hair, though a good officer in attending to
his work, was a better in admiring a girl, which, after all, taking
matters at the base, is the chief and most vital business of life, as,
were it neglected, there would be no police or populace.

Well, as I said, policeman Danby knew a pretty girl when he saw one,
and there being two at Clay's, that household, in the way of the law,
was very well looked after indeed; and for the purpose of escaping the
annual registration fee, Andrew's little dog, "Whiskey," had remained
a puppy as long as some young ladies tarry under thirty.

Carry on rising to admit the caller had the usual tussle with the
door, while grandma reiterated uncomplimentary remarks about the
"blessed feller" who should some time since have effected repairs, and
Danby upon entering wore an extremely grave face, looked neither at
Dawn nor Carry, but addressed himself straight to Mrs Martha Clay.

"I have to trouble you about a very unpleasant matter," he said, and
cruelly all eyes went to poor Andrew, as it was but recently he had
to be chased home for breaking the law.

"Yes," said grandma, rising actively, and though a flurried colour
came to the old withered cheek, the spark of battle flashed in the
stern blue-grey eye.

"Could I see you privately?" said Danby.

"Certainly," said Mrs Clay: "but I'm not fond of secrecy; things is
better open, and this is the first time in my life I've had to be seen
secret by the police. Come this way."

We said nothing, but dropped our feeding tools and waited in suspense,
till in less than a minute grandma thrust her head in the dining-room
door.

"For mercy's sake, Dawn, look in Miss Flipp's room and see is she
there."

Dawn rose in a hurry and boxed Andrew's ears as she passed, because he
too rose and tumbled over his chair in her way.

"Some people ought to tie themselves up to be out of the way," she
ejaculated.

"Miss Flipp is not in her room," she presently called, "and her bed is
smooth and made up."

"God save us, then! Mr Danby says she's drownded in the river,"
exclaimed her grandma. "What's to be done?"

"We'll spare you all the trouble possible, Mrs Clay," said the man,
with the respect always tendered the old dame; "but I'm afraid it's a
suicide. Some men going to work on the new viaduct just noticed her
clothes sticking up as they crossed the bridge at daylight and
rep