t.

But, then, woman's faith in her vaunted if vaguely comprehended
faculty of intuition is a beautiful thing and a joy to her forever.

And she wondered what Savage would have to say to her. But in this
phase her thoughts wore a complexion of far less self-assurance,
notwithstanding the moral support of her employer. What could have
happened in New York that he must seek an early meeting to discuss it
with her? What had been the outcome of that terribly incriminating
clue, her name on the garments composing that sloughed chrysalis of
yesterday? Was it possible that her comrades of the studio (Heavens!
how historically remote and almost unreal seemed that well-hated
chapter of existence) had become anxious enough to notify the police
of her long absence? In such cases, she believed, something called a
general alarm was issued--a description of the absentee was read
to every member of the metropolitan police force, that it might be on
the alert to apprehend or succour the lost, strayed or stolen. Could
that possibly have been done in the case of missing Sally Manvers?
And, if so, could the police detectives possibly have overlooked the
fact that the name of the wanting woman was identical with the name of
the woman wanted?

For all the strength of her tower of refuge Sally shivered.

And she realised with a twinge of sincere regret that she would never
dare return and share these happier fortunes with those two unhappy
partners of her days of suffering and privation.

She wasn't heartless; she had thought frequently of them before, but
always with the notion that she would some day, and by happy chance
some day not distant, reveal her transfigured self to them and, out of
the plenitude of her blessings, lend them a little, and much more than
a little, aid and comfort. Something of that sort, indeed, was the
least she could do; it was but justice; it was simply repayment of
acknowledged indebtedness. And now, it seemed, it might never be!

From this she passed into new wonder and bewilderment at the duplicity
of Savage and his sister, and the mystery of their motives and the
still deeper mystery of their actions, and the inscrutable
mystery of the boat that had landed on the beach of Gosnold House at
three o'clock in the morning.

All of which led her suddenly to make sure of the jewel-box.

It was no longer in its place of concealment.

Mrs. Gosnold, she assumed, must have removed it.

But for what purpose? T