over the lists
of passengers; and of one thing I am certain, they have not sailed from
that port this year.'

'Not under the name by which you know them.'

'And not under any other. Colonel Gainsborough was not a man to hide
his head under an alias. But they know nothing of any Colonel
Gainsborough at the post office.'

'That is strange.'

'They never had many letters, you know, sir; and the colonel had given
up his English paper. I think I know all the people that take the
London _Times_ in New York; and he is not one of them.'

'He is gone home,' said Mr. Dallas comfortably.

'I can find that out when I go back to England; and I will.'

Miss Betty said nothing, and asked never a word, but she lost none of
all this. Pitt was becoming a problem to her. All this eagerness and
painstaking would seem to look towards some very close relations
between the young man and these missing people; yet Pitt showed no
annoyance nor signs of trouble at missing them. Was it that he did not
really care? was it that he had not accepted failure, and did not mean
to fail? In either case, he must be a peculiar character, and in either
case there was brought to light an uncommon strength of determination.
There is hardly anything which women like better in the other sex than
force of character. Not because it is a quality in which their own sex
is apt to be lacking; on the contrary; but because it gives a woman
what she wants in a man--something to lean upon, and somebody to look
up to. Miss Betty found herself getting more and more interested in
Pitt and in her charge concerning him; how it was to be executed she
did not yet see; she must leave that to chance. Nothing could be forced
here. Where liking begins to grow, there also begins fear.

She retreated to the verandah after dinner, with her embroidery. By and
by Mrs. Dallas came there too. It was a pleasant place in the
afternoon, for the sun was on the other side of the house, and the sea
breeze swept this way, giving its saltness to the odours of rose and
honeysuckle and mignonette. Mrs. Dallas sat down and took her knitting;
then, before a word could be exchanged, they were joined by Pitt. That
is, he came on the verandah; but for some time there was no talking.
The ladies would not begin, and Pitt did not. His attention, wherever
it might be, was not given to his companions; he sat thoughtful, and
determinately silent. Mrs. Dallas's knitting needles clicked, Miss
Betty's