which Rebecca had abstracted, she had determined to keep her
appointment without them. Her delay rendered her a little late,
however; but on reaching the withered oak she heard voices and steps in
front of her, which she had followed. These had led her to the open
gate, and the lighting of the lantern had revealed her to friends and
foes. Ere she concluded her story Tom noticed that she leaned more and
more heavily upon him, until by the time that they reached the Priory he
was obliged to lift her up and carry her to prevent her from falling.
The hardships of the last few weeks, and this final terrible and yet
most joyful incident of all, had broken down her strength. He bore her
into the house, and laying her by the fire in the dining-room, watched
tenderly over her, and exhausted his humble stock of medical knowledge
in devising remedies for her condition.

In the meantime the inspector, having thoroughly grasped the major's
lucid narrative, was taking prompt and energetic measures.

"You go down to the station, Constable Jones," he ordered. "Wire to
London, 'John Girdlestone, aged sixty-one, and his son, aged
twenty-eight, wanted for murder. Address, Eccleston Square and
Fenchurch Street, City.' Send a description of them. 'Father, six feet
one inch in height, hatchet-faced, grey hair and whiskers, deep-set
eyes, heavy brows, round shoulders. Son, five feet ten, dark-faced,
black eyes, black curly hair, strongly made, legs rather bandy, well
dressed, usually wears a dog's head scarf-pin.' That ought to do!"

"Yes, that's near enough," observed the major.

"Wire to every station along the line to be on the look-out. Send a
description to the chief constable of Portsmouth, and have a watch kept
on the shipping. That should catch them!"

"It vill," cried Von Baumser confidentially. "I'll bet money dat it
vill." It was as well that the German's sporting offer found no takers,
otherwise our good friend would have been a poorer man.

"Let us carry the poor soul up to the house," the inspector continued,
after making careful examination of the ground all round the body.

The party assisted in raising the girl up, and in carrying her back
along the path by which she had been brought.

Burt tramped stolidly along behind with the remaining policeman beside
him. The Nihilist brought up the rear with his keen eye fixed upon the
navvy, and his knife still ready for use. When they reached the Priory
the pris