o doubt you feel rather low just now," said the doctor, "but that is
very much owing to your having lived so long on insufficient diet. I
will give you something, however, which will soon pull you up a bit.
Come, cheer up. Don't let your spirits get so low."

"Yes," she murmured, "I _am_ brought very low, but the Lord will lift me
up. He is my strength and my Redeemer."

She clasped her hands with difficulty, and shut her eyes.

A silence followed, during which Captain Wopper drew Lawrence into the
passage.

"D'you think she is near her end, doctor?"

"She looks very like it," replied the doctor. "There is a possibility
that she might recover if the right medicine could be found, namely,
ease of mind; but her dissipated son has robbed her of that, and is the
only one who can give it back to her--if indeed he has the power left
now. She is dying of what is unprofessionally styled a broken heart.
It is unfortunate that her son is not with her at present."

"Does no one know where to find him?" asked the Captain.

"I fear not," replied the doctor.

"Please, sir, I think _I_ know," said a subdued voice behind them.

It was that of Gillie White, who had drawn near very silently, being
overawed by the sad scene in the sick-room.

"Do you, my lad? then get along as fast as you can and show me the way,"
said the Captain, buttoning up his pilot-coat. "I'll bring him here
before long, doctor, if he's to be found."

In a few minutes the Captain and Gillie were at the head of the lane,
where the former hailed a passing cab, bade the boy jump in, and
followed him.

"Now, my lad, give the address," said the Captain.

"The Strand," said the boy, promptly.

"What number, sir?" asked the cabman, looking at the Captain.

"Right on till I stop you," said Gillie, with the air of a
commander-in-chief--whom in some faint manner he now resembled, for he
was in livery, being clothed in blue tights and brass buttons.

In a short time Gillie gave the order to pull up, and they got out in
front of a brilliantly-lighted and open door with a lamp above it, on
which was written the word Billiards. The Captain observed that it was
the same door as that at which he had parted from Lewis Stoutley some
days before.

Dismissing the cab and entering, they quickly found themselves in a
large and well-lighted billiard-room, which was crowded with men of all
ages and aspects, some of whom played, others looked on and betted, a
goo