he sooner the better. I will take
the stage to-morrow morning.'

'You might wait and try first what a letter might do,' suggested his
father.

'Yes, sir; but you remember Colonel Gainsborough had very little to do
with the post office. He never received letters, and he had ceased
taking the London _Times_. My letter might lie weeks unclaimed. I must
go myself.'

And he went, and stayed a week away. It was a busy week; at least the
days in the city were busily filled. Pitt inquired at the post office;
but, as he more than half expected, nobody knew anything of Colonel
Gainsborough's address. One official had an impression he had heard the
name; that was all. Pitt beleaguered the post office, that is, he sat
down before it, figuratively, for really he sat down in it, and let
nobody go out or come in without his knowledge. It availed nothing.
Either Christopher did not at all make his appearance at the post
office during those days, or he came at some moment when Pitt was gone
to get a bit of luncheon; if he came, a stupid clerk did not heed him,
or a busy clerk overlooked him; all that is certain is, that Pitt saw
and heard nothing which led to the object of his quest. He made
inquiries elsewhere, wherever he could think it might be useful; but
the end was, he heard nothing. He stayed three days; he could stay no
longer, for his holiday was very exactly and narrowly measured out, and
he felt it not right to take any more of it from his father and mother.

The rest of the time they had him wholly to themselves, for Miss Frere
was hindered by some domestic event from keeping her promise to Mrs.
Dallas. She did not come. Pitt was glad of it; and, seeing they were
now free from the danger of Esther, his father and mother were glad of
it too. The days were untroubled by either fear or anxiety, while their
son made the sunshine of the house for them; and when he went away he
left them without a wish concerning him, but that they were going too.
For it was to be another two years before he would come again.

The record of those same summer months in the house on the bank of the
Hudson was somewhat different. Esther had her vacation too, which gave
her opportunity to finish everything in the arrangements at home for
which time had hitherto been lacking. The girl went softly round the
house, putting a touch of grace and prettiness upon every room. It
excited Mrs. Barker's honest admiration. Here it was a curtain; there
it wa