t young man we
both know of. Have you seen anything of him lately?"

Mrs. Farnaby, steadily on her guard, deferred answering the question.
"Why do you want to know?" she said.

The reply was instantly ready. "Because I have reason to believe he has
bolted, with your money in his pocket."

"He has done nothing of the sort," Mrs. Farnaby rejoined.

"Has he got your money?" Mrs. Sowler persisted. "Tell me the truth--and
I'll do the same by you. He has cheated me. If you're cheated too, it's
your own interest to lose no time in finding him. The police may catch
him yet. _Has_ he got your money?"

The woman was in earnest--in terrible earnest--her eyes and her voice
both bore witness to it. She stood there, the living impersonation of
those doubts and fears which Mrs. Farnaby had confessed, in writing to
Amelius. Her position, at that moment, was essentially a position of
command. Mrs. Farnaby felt it in spite of herself. She acknowledged that
Jervy had got the money.

"Did you sent it to him, or give it to him?" Mrs. Sowler asked.

"I gave it to him."

"When?"

"Yesterday evening."

Mrs. Sowler clenched her fists, and shook them in impotent rage. "He's
the biggest scoundrel living," she exclaimed furiously; "and you're the
biggest fool! Put on your bonnet and come to the police. If you get your
money back again before he's spent it all, don't forget it was through
me."

The audacity of the woman's language roused Mrs. Farnaby. She pointed to
the door. "You are an insolent creature," she said; "I have nothing more
to do with you."

"You have nothing more to do with me?" Mrs. Sowler repeated. "You and
the young man have settled it all between you, I suppose." She laughed
scornfully. "I dare say now you expect to see him again?"

Mrs. Farnaby was irritated into answering this. "I expect to see him
this morning," she said, "at ten o'clock."

"And the lost young lady with him?"

"Say nothing about my lost daughter! I won't even hear you speak of
her."

Mrs. Sowler sat down. "Look at your watch," she said. "It must be nigh
on ten o'clock by this time. You'll make a disturbance in the house if
you try to turn me out. I mean to wait here till ten o'clock."

On the point of answering angrily, Mrs. Farnaby restrained herself. "You
are trying to force a quarrel on me," she said; "you shan't spoil the
happiest morning of my life. Wait here by yourself."

She opened the door that led into her bedchamber, and shut