Mr. Collingsby appeared in a few moments in his dressing-gown, and had evidently made a very hasty toilet. "Marian!" exclaimed he, with a degree of emotion of which I had not supposed him capable. "My poor child! How anxious I have been about you! for that Waterford is a scoundrel." "I know he is, father. You were right," replied Marian, as she sobbed upon his bosom. "Where is he now?" "I don't know." Mr. Collingsby winked very rapidly; but as it was not dignified to weep, he did not do so. He glanced at me, and he must have suspected that I saw his emotion. He was evidently ashamed of it, for he gently disengaged himself from his daughter's embrace, and fixed his stern gaze upon me. "So you have come back, Philips?" said he. "Yes, sir, I have come back. I had business here, and I took the liberty to call." "Where have you been, sir?" "After Mr. Whippleton." "So I thought," sneered he. "I suppose it would not suit your purpose to inform me where he is now." "On the contrary, it would exactly suit my purpose, Mr. Collingsby. He is in a carriage at the door, between two officers." "Don't say anything harsh to Philip, father," interposed Marian, wounded by his sternness towards me. "It was he who saved me from harm, and he has brought Mr. Whippleton back, with all the money he stole." "Do you mean so?" [Illustration: THE SAD END OF CHARLES WHIPPLETON'S CAREER. Page 317.] I went to the door, and requested the officers to bring in their prisoner. "Is it possible that I have been mistaken in you, young man?" added Mr. Collingsby, glancing at me again. "I was satisfied that you had run away with my partner, because you had shared his guilt." "You were mistaken, sir," I answered, as the officers conducted Mr. Whippleton into the room. The prisoner was very feeble, and was placed in an arm-chair. His head was tied up with a handkerchief, and he looked as miserable as a human being could. He was not a man of great courage, and his mishaps appeared to have broken his spirit. "What's the matter with him?" asked Mr. Collingsby, turning to me. "He was hurt on the head." "Philip had a hard battle with him, father; but finally struck him down, and he fell senseless." "I ought to add, Mr. Collingsby, that Marian was the bravest girl I ever saw. I should have lost the battle, and I doubt if you would ever have seen either your partner or your money, if she had not taken part in the struggle," I interposed. "All this makes a very strange story." "Perhaps you had better hear the rest of it before you judge," I replied. "I thought it possible, after I left you day before yesterday, that Mr. Whippleton had gone off in his boat, and I hastened to her moorings. My supposition was correct." "We knew he had gone in his boat, but we supposed he would land at some town on the other side," said Mr. Collingsby. "Officers were sent to Detroit and Toledo to intercept him."