He haunted the streets where genteel lodgings were advertised, but without success. On the Sabbath he walked the streets, peering into every young face that he met, but those clear, brown eyes never greeted his weary search, and that lovely face was but a vision in his memory. Monday he went to Wilbur and told him of Miss Douglas’ strange disappearance, and his fruitless search for her; and the young man was nearly distracted himself. “They have driven her to death, curse them!” he muttered, fiercely, and he told Adrian the story of the jewels. His father had returned unexpectedly, and he acquainted him also with the facts of the case. A scene ensued which was long remembered by both Isabel and her mother, while Mr. Coolidge spared no trouble or expense to find the unfortunate girl. Wilbur had been so bound up in his own sorrow that he had paid no attention to the number of the cab in which Brownie had gone away, neither had he noticed the driver; so that although he sought out and questioned every cabby that he could find, he could gain no clew to the missing girl. Mr. Coolidge advertised and engaged a detective to look her up, while Adrian Dredmond and Wilbur haunted the streets day and night, but all to no purpose. Beautiful Brownie Douglas—abused, insulted, friendless—seemed to have dropped out of existence as completely as a star when it falls from its place in the heavens! CHAPTER XIX A STARTLING RECOGNITION Meanwhile the day for Lady Peasewell’s drawing-room dawned. Isabel Coolidge spared no pains or expense to make herself captivating for the occasion, and she succeeded admirably. Her father’s unexpected return, and his anger at her own and her mother’s treatment of Miss Douglas, had threatened to upset all her plans, however. He demanded that the jewels be brought to him, and another exciting scene ensued over them. It must be confessed that he was somewhat confounded himself when he beheld them, and a feeling of doubt entered his mind regarding Brownie’s honesty; but he would not confess it to his family, and censured them in no light terms for the dishonorable way in which they had become possessed of the rare stones. It all ended in angry tears on the mother’s and daughter’s part, and in his taking charge of those unfortunate trinkets which had caused so much trouble, and locking them securely in his safe. Isabel dawdled away the morning in a state of fretful unhappiness, and declared to herself, over and over again, that her appearance would be ruined without the governess’s jewels. After dinner, however, her father complained of a raging headache; two hours later he was in a high fever, and all thoughts of his attending the evening’s festivities were relinquished. From that moment Isabel’s spirits rose, the clouds vanished from her brow, and she was even heard humming a gay opera air.