there as quickly as you can," she ordered, drawing herself up
and flashing an indignant glance at him. "I have no time to waste."

"Sure, mum, I'll do that same," he returned, touching his horses with the
whip.

"Where are you taking me? What do you mean by bringing me into such a vile
region as this?" she demanded presently, as the hack turned into a narrow
and very dirty street.

"It's the shortest cut to the place ye said ye wanted to go till, mum," he
answered shortly.

She sank back with a sigh and closed her eyes for a moment. She was very
weary with her long journey and more depressed than she had ever been in
her life before.

The drive seemed the longest and most unpleasant she had ever undertaken;
she began to wish she had been content to sail for Europe without trying
to find Virginia. But at last the vehicle stopped, the driver reached down
from his seat and opened the door.

His passenger put out her head, glanced this way and that, scanned the
house before her, and angrily demanded, "What are you stopping here for?"

"Bekase ye tould me to, mum; it's the place ye said ye wanted to come
till."

Mrs. Conly looked at the number over the door, saw that it was the one she
had given him, then in a voice she vainly tried to make coldly
indifferent, inquired of some children who had gathered on the sidewalk to
gaze in open-mouthed curiosity at her and the hack, if this were ----
street.

The answer confirmed the driver's assertion, and she hastily alighted.

The house was a large tenement swarming with inhabitants, as was evidenced
by the number of heads in nearly every front window, drawn thither by the
unusual event of the stopping of a hack before the door of entrance. It
stood wide open, giving a view of an unfurnished hall and stairway, both
of which were in a very untidy condition.

"Does Mr. Henry Neuville live here?" Mrs. Conly asked, addressing the
group of staring children.

"Dunno," said one. "Guess not," said another.

"Mebbe thems the grand folks as moved intill the second story front
t'other week," observed a third. "I'll show ye the way, lady," and he
rushed past her into the house and ran nimbly up the dirty stairs.

Mrs. Conly lifted her skirts and followed, her heart sinking like lead in
her bosom. Could it be possible that Virginia had come to this?

Halting before the door of the front room on the second floor, the lad
gave a thundering rap, then opened it, shouting, "Here's