ase to
excuse my saying so--I should comfort myself with remembering that I had
loved that poor lady whose portrait you have got there--truly loved her
as my mother, and that she had truly loved me as her son. All she gave
to you, she gave for the sake of that love. It never altered while she
lived; and it won't alter, I'm sure, as long as _you_ live. How can you
have a better right, sir, to keep what you have got than that?"

Mr. Wilding's immovable honesty saw the fallacy in his housekeeper's
point of view at a glance.

"You don't understand me," he said. "It's _because_ I loved her that I
feel it a duty--a sacred duty--to do justice to her son. If he is a
living man, I must find him: for my own sake, as well as for his. I
shall break down under this dreadful trial, unless I employ
myself--actively, instantly employ myself--in doing what my conscience
tells me ought to be done. I must speak to my lawyer; I must set my
lawyer at work before I sleep to-night." He approached a tube in the
wall of the room, and called down through it to the office below. "Leave
me for a little, Mrs. Goldstraw," he resumed; "I shall be more composed,
I shall be better able to speak to you later in the day. We shall get on
well--I hope we shall get on well together--in spite of what has
happened. It isn't your fault; I know it isn't your fault. There!
there! shake hands; and--and do the best you can in the house--I can't
talk about it now."

The door opened as Mrs. Goldstraw advanced towards it; and Mr. Jarvis
appeared.

"Send for Mr. Bintrey," said the wine-merchant. "Say I want to see him
directly."

The clerk unconsciously suspended the execution of the order, by
announcing "Mr. Vendale," and showing in the new partner in the firm of
Wilding and Co.

"Pray excuse me for one moment, George Vendale," said Wilding. "I have a
word to say to Jarvis. Send for Mr. Bintrey," he repeated--"send at
once."

Mr. Jarvis laid a letter on the table before he left the room.

"From our correspondents at Neuchatel, I think, sir. The letter has got
the Swiss postmark."

NEW CHARACTERS ON THE SCENE

The words, "The Swiss Postmark," following so soon upon the housekeeper's
reference to Switzerland, wrought Mr. Wilding's agitation to such a
remarkable height, that his new partner could not decently make a
pretence of letting it pass unnoticed.

"Wilding," he asked hurriedly, and yet stopping short and glancing around
as i