"I have important business--I am going out."

"But--"

Chester closed the door and hurried to his room. He knew what was about
to be said, and he was in such an intense state of irritation, that he
could not trust himself to reply, but took hat and coat directly, went
out, and jumping into the first cab was driven to his club, where he
spent the morning in the library, examining books on landed gentry,
peerages, baronetages, everything he could find relating to armorial
bearings, and finding crest after crest of mailed arms holding swords,
daggers, spears, flowers, plumes, hearts, and arrows, but nothing which
quite answered to the seal.

After a hasty lunch he went out to resume his search for the house, and
for the next fortnight this was his life, seeking, and seeking in vain,
for he found hundreds, each of which might very well have been that
which he sought, till one afternoon he was walking down formal old
streets of gloomy mansions, when his eyes lit upon a house, one of fifty
almost alike, double-fronted with a broad entrance, and exactly what he
felt the place must be that he sought. He had passed it a dozen times
before, but it had never impressed him, and with a strange feeling of
elation, as he noted its gloomy aspect, uncleaned windows, and air of
neglect, he grew certain that he had made the discovery at last.

The next thing was to note the number and examine a Directory, and
walking rapidly on without daring to look for fear of being observed, he
went to the end of the street, crossed over, and returned, read the
half-obliterated number on the time-worn door as he rapidly passed, and
once more had himself driven to his club.

"Found at last," he muttered, as he opened the great Directory and found
the number, and name, "Westcott."

Not much, but something within him made him feel that he was right, and
he closed the book, drawing a deep breath, and went straight to the
great grim street.

He had made no plans, but had determined upon a bold attack as the
likeliest way of obtaining entrance. The old housekeeper would answer
the door, and threats, cajoling, or bribery he was determined should be
his pass-key, for see Marion and be assured of her safety he would,
even, he told himself, if he had to use force.

For one moment only he hesitated before he plunged into the lion's jaws,
as it were--should he speak to a policeman and tell him how to act if he
did not soon return?

"No," he said; "i