Had he not been so preoccupied, Charley Vining would have seen that a strange man, rather shabbily-dressed, was close beside him, vainly attempting to gain his attention; for, after handing Laura and her sister into the barouche, he was about to leave them to return alone; but the imploring look of dread in Laura's eyes stayed him, and yielding to her outstretched hand, he leaped in and took his place opposite. Upon reaching Harley-street the strange man seemed to be there before them, and Charley would again have left, but Laura begged him to go with her upstairs; and seeing how pale and disturbed she was, he accompanied her to the drawing-room. "There!--need I tell you on my honour," he said, taking her hand gently, "you need be under no fear." "And--and, Charley," she said appealingly, "you will not judge me harshly?" "Judge you harshly?" he said; "no." And as she held out her hands to him, he took her gently to his breast and kissed her. "Do you know how happy you have made me?" she whispered, clinging to him and gazing up in his pale honest face. "No," he said in the same tone; "but I fear I have pained you sorely." "Charley!" "Laura!" There was no other sound heard in that room but those softly uttered words; and when, a minute or two after, Mrs Bray quietly opened the door unobserved, she stepped back again on the points of her toes smiling with a satisfied air, and posted herself as a sentinel upon the stairs. And all this while that strange man was impatiently watching the windows from the other side of the street. "Couldn't get to see you before, sir," said a voice, as Charley Vining left Mr Bray's house in Harley-street. "Perhaps you'll run over that while I follow you and wait for farther orders." Charley started, and looked up to see that a rather shabbily-dressed man was walking away from him, after placing a note in his hands. "Mr M.B. went to Crescent Villas at nine this morning, stayed ten minutes, returned to Bury-street, left Bury-street at three in a cab with a black portmanteau, and was driven to the front of the Colosseum. Waited an hour, and was then joined by Miss E.B. carrying a small black bag--very pale, and evidently been crying. Mr M.B. said aloud, `At last!' as he handed her into the cab. Driven rapidly to Paddington-station. Took first-class tickets to Penzance, and left by 4:50 express. Are we to follow?"