g for his servant. To wait until the hour at which he was
accustomed to go out, might be to leave Emily's peace of mind at the
mercy of an accident. "I am going to the cottage," he said. "If anybody
wants me, I shall be back in a quarter of an hour."

On the point of leaving the house, he remembered that Emily would
probably expect him to return the Handbill. As he took it up, the first
lines caught his eye: he read the date at which the murder had been
committed, for the second time. On a sudden the ruddy color left his
face.

"Good God!" he cried, "her father was murdered--and that woman was
concerned in it."

Following the impulse that urged him, he secured the Handbill in his
pocketbook--snatched up the card which his patient had presented as her
introduction--and instantly left the house. He called the first cab that
passed him, and drove to Miss Jethro's lodgings.

"Gone"--was the servant's answer when he inquired for her. He insisted
on speaking to the landlady. "Hardly ten minutes have passed," he said,
"since she left my house."

"Hardly ten minutes have passed," the landlady replied, "since that
message was brought here by a boy."

The message had been evidently written in great haste: "I am
unexpectedly obliged to leave London. A bank note is inclosed in payment
of my debt to you. I will send for my luggage."

The doctor withdrew.

"Unexpectedly obliged to leave London," he repeated, as he got into the
cab again. "Her flight condemns her: not a doubt of it now. As fast
as you can!" he shouted to the man; directing him to drive to Emily's
cottage.

CHAPTER XVIII. MISS LADD.

Arriving at the cottage, Doctor Allday discovered a gentleman, who was
just closing the garden gate behind him.

"Has Miss Emily had a visitor?" he inquired, when the servant admitted
him.

"The gentleman left a letter for Miss Emily, sir."

"Did he ask to see her?"

"He asked after Miss Letitia's health. When he heard that she was dead,
he seemed to be startled, and went away immediately."

"Did he give his name?"

"No, sir."

The doctor found Emily absorbed over her letter. His anxiety to
forestall any possible discovery of the deception which had concealed
the terrible story of her father's death, kept Doctor Allday's vigilance
on the watch. He doubted the gentleman who had abstained from giving
his name; he even distrusted the other unknown person who had written to
Emily.

She looked up. Her face reliev