Edward went off to follow up his clue with a promptness which was dictated more by a dogged will to do his utmost than by a hope of doing much. When he was out of sight, the tall and cloaked man, who had watched him, came up to the woman’s door, with an appearance of being in breathless haste. ‘Has a gentleman been here inquiring about Mrs. Manston?’ ‘Yes; he’s just gone.’ ‘Dear me! I want him.’ ‘He’s gone to Mr. Halway’s.’ ‘I think I can give him some information upon the subject. Does he pay pretty liberally?’ ‘He gave me half-a-crown.’ ‘That scale will do. I’m a poor man, and will see what my little contribution to his knowledge will fetch. But, by the way, perhaps you told him all I know--where she lived before coming to live here?’ ‘I didn’t know where she lived before coming here. O no--I only said what Mr. Brown had told me. He seemed a nice, gentle young man, or I shouldn’t have been so open as I was.’ ‘I shall now about catch him at Mr. Halway’s,’ said the man, and went away as hastily as he had come. Edward in the meantime had reached the auction-room. He found some difficulty, on account of the inertness of those whose only inducement to an action is a mere wish from another, in getting the information he stood in need of, but it was at last accorded him. The auctioneer’s book gave the name of Mrs. Higgins, 3 Canley Passage, as the purchaser of the lot which had included Mrs. Manston’s workbox. Thither Edward went, followed by the man. Four bell pulls, one above the other like waistcoat-buttons, appeared on the door-post. Edward seized the first he came to. ‘Who did you woant?’ said a thin voice from somewhere. Edward looked above and around him; nobody was visible. ‘Who did you woant?’ said the thin voice again. He found now that the sound proceeded from below the grating covering the basement window. He dropped his glance through the bars, and saw a child’s white face. ‘Who did you woant?’ said the voice the third time, with precisely the same languid inflection. ‘Mrs. Higgins,’ said Edward. ‘Third bell up,’ said the face, and disappeared. He pulled the third bell from the bottom, and was admitted by another child, the daughter of the woman he was in search of. He gave the little thing sixpence, and asked for her mamma. The child led him upstairs.