“You have displayed great wisdom in your course of action――you cannot be too strongly commended, Mr. ――――. I don’t know your name.” “Jakyl.” “Well, Mr. Jakyl, you have acted in a very proper manner. I hope his lordship is of my opinion.” “I am,” returned the earl, with undisguised pleasure. “I think Jakyl has been most prudent. To say the truth, I have always had the greatest confidence in him.” The butler bowed, and hardly knew how to comport himself under the praise which was so lavished on him. “I must tell you frankly, Mr. Jakyl,” said the detective, “that I am engaged in instituting a rigorous search for your master’s daughter; so if it be in your power to give me any information which may aid me in my inquiries, it will be a boon to us all.” “I wish I could, sir.” “Well, not now. I don’t mean at present, but if anything occurs to you, out with it at once.” “I will.” “Now, my friend, let me have the letters without further delay.” The butler looked again at his master. “Fetch them at once, Jakyl. You have heard what Mr. Wrench has said. The matter is in his hands.” The servant left the library, and in a minute or so returned with a packet of papers tied with silk cord. He handed them to the earl, who pushed them towards the detective, saying, as he did so―― “I have not the courage to open them just now. You can do so.” “I will not open them,” answered Mr. Wrench; “but, with your permission, will take a note of the postmarks and dates.” He sorted them, placed them on the table in chronological order, pulled out his note-book, and made entries therein. Then he closed the book, and said―― “This looks a little more promising. I have some material now to work upon. At your leisure, my lord, you can peruse the contents of the epistles, and possibly there may be something which may be of service to us in the pursuit of this inquiry.” “I will go carefully over them when I am a little more composed,” observed the earl. “Good. I shall not return to London just at present, for special reasons. I deem it expedient to remain in this neighbourhood.” “Will you take up your quarters here?” “No, I thank you, my lord. It would be best, I think, to put up at an inn. There will be more chance of my picking up information in a place of public resort. We have our own way of doing business,” observed Wrench, with a smile. Lord Ethalwood bowed and smiled also. The very last thing he thought of doing was to dictate to the sagacious officer, who, in affairs of this sort, was so much his superior. “From the postmarks on the letters I see your daughter and her husband have paid a visit to several other towns besides those in which I have made inquiries.” “Other towns――eh?” exclaimed the earl. “Yes, one is Sheffield and another Bradford. I shall make it my business to visit both places. Ah! the case is not so hopeless as Mr. Chicknell seems to imagine.”