"He'll be right glad to see you, too--for it may be, Mr.Smeaton, that there is something to be traced out of that bit of letter paper of yours, yet." "It may be," he agreed.

"And if there's any help I can give, it's at your disposal.

But you'll be finding this--you're in a dark lane, with some queer turnings in it, before you come to the plain outcome of all this business!" We went down into the street together, and after he had asked if there was anything he could do for me that night, and I had assured him there was not, we parted with an agreement that Mr.Lindsey and I should call at his office early next morning.

When he had left me, I sought out a place where I could get some supper, and, that over, I idled about the town until it was time for the train from the south to get in.

And I was on the platform when it came, and there was my mother and Maisie and Mr.
Lindsey, and I saw at a glance that all that was filling each was sheer and infinite surprise.