"No, not yet, my boy. There, I beg your pardon for suspecting you. It seemed so much like your work. But stop--you are cheating me; it was your doing." "Have it your own way, then, guv'nor." "You were seen with her last night." "Eh? What time?" cried Claud. "I don't know the time, sir, but a man saw you with her. Come, you see the risk you run of losing a fortune. Speak out." Claud spoke in, but what he said was his own affair. Then, after a minute's thought, he said; "I say, would it be old Garstang, guv'nor?" "No, sir, it would not be John Garstang," cried Wilton, with his anger rising again. "No; I have it, guv'nor," cried Claud, excitedly. "I went up, meaning to have a turn in town with Harry Dasent, but he was out. That's it; he hasn't a penny in the world, and he has been down here three times lately. I thought he'd got devilish fond of her all at once; and twice over he let out about Kitty being so good-looking. That's it; he's got her away." "No, no, my dear; she wouldn't have gone away with a man like that," sobbed Mrs Wilton. "She didn't like him." "No; absurd," cried Wilton. "But he'd have gone away with her, guv'nor." "You were seen with her last night." "Oh, was I? All right, then. If you say so I suppose I was, guv'nor, but I'm going back to London after ferreting out all I can. You're on the wrong scent, dad,--him! I never thought of that." "You're wrong, Claud; you're wrong." "Yes, mother, deucedly wrong," cried the young man fiercely. "Why didn't I think of it? I might have done the same, and now it's too late. Perhaps not. She'd hold out after he got her away, and we might get to her in time. No, I know Harry Dasent. It's too late now." "Look here, Claud, boy, I want to believe in you," said Wilton, who was once more impressed by his son's earnestness; "do you tell me you believe that Harry Dasent has taken her away by force?" "Force, or some trick. It was just the sort of time when she might listen to him. There; you may believe me, now." "Then who was the lady you were seen with last night? Come, be honest. You were seen with someone. Who was it?" "Mustn't kiss and tell, guv'nor," said Claud, with a sickly grin. "Look here," said Wilton huskily. "There are a hundred and fifty thousand pounds at stake, my boy. Was it Kate?" "No, father," cried the young man earnestly; "it wasn't, 'pon my soul." "Am I to believe you?" "Look here, guv'nor, do you think I want to fool this money away? What good should I be doing by pretending I hadn't carried her off? I told you I'd have done it like a shot if I had had the chance; and what's more, you'd have liked it, so long as I had got her to say yes. I did not carry her off, once for all. It was Harry Dasent, and if he has choused me out of that bit of coin, curse him, if I hang for it, I'll break his neck!"