"You are the dearest and best of sisters! What do you recommend me to
do?"

"What you would have been obliged to do," Mrs. Delvin answered, "if you
had remained in London. You must go to Redwood Hall tomorrow, as Emily
has arranged it. If Mrs. Rook is not there, you must ask for her address
in Scotland. If nobody knows the address, you must still bestir yourself
in trying to find it. And, when you do fall in with Mrs. Rook--"

"Well?"

"Take care, wherever it may be, that you see her privately."

Mirabel was alarmed. "Don't keep me in suspense," he burst out. "Tell me
what you propose."

"Never mind what I propose, to-night. Before I can tell you what I have
in my mind, I must know whether Mrs. Rook is in England or Scotland.
Bring me that information to-morrow, and I shall have something to say
to you. Hark! The wind is rising, the rain is falling. There is a chance
of sleep for me--I shall soon hear the sea. Good-night."

"Good-night, dearest--and thank you again, and again!"

CHAPTER LIX. THE ACCIDENT AT BELFORD.

Early in the morning Mirabel set forth for Redwood Hall, in one of the
vehicles which Mrs. Delvin still kept at "The Clink" for the convenience
of visitors. He returned soon after noon; having obtained information
of the whereabout of Mrs. Rook and her husband. When they had last been
heard of, they were at Lasswade, near Edinburgh. Whether they had, or
had not, obtained the situation of which they were in search, neither
Miss Redwood nor any one else at the Hall could tell.

In half an hour more, another horse was harnessed, and Mirabel was
on his way to the railway station at Belford, to follow Mrs. Rook at
Emily's urgent request. Before his departure, he had an interview with
his sister.

Mrs. Delvin was rich enough to believe implicitly in the power of money.
Her method of extricating her brother from the serious difficulties that
beset him, was to make it worth the while of Mr. and Mrs. Rook to leave
England. Their passage to America would be secretly paid; and they would
take with them a letter of credit addressed to a banker in New York. If
Mirabel failed to discover them, after they had sailed, Emily could not
blame his want of devotion to her interests. He understood this; but he
remained desponding and irresolute, even with the money in his hands.
The one person who could rouse his courage and animate his hope, was
also the one person who must know nothing of what had passed betwe