'I don't know, but mother said he might have secrets which he would not wish us to discover. When I told this to Jessie, she said that she had a secret, but didn't then know what it was. It was in a letter which she was not to open until she was eighteen years of age--until to-day. Then she said she would tell me everything.' 'There's a mystery somewhere,' said Turk, pondering; in that letter perhaps.' But I could not agree with him. Eager as I was to receive any impressions which would divert my suspicions from the current in which they were running, I could not see the slightest connection between the circumstance I had just mentioned and Jessie's absence. By this time we were at Temple Bar. 'Where are we going?' asked Turk. 'To Mr. Rackstraw's,' I answered. 'Jessie has been taking lessons of him, you know. He may be able to tell us something about her.' Turk shook his head. 'There are two strong reasons against the realisation of that expectation, Chris. First, Jessie has not been there to-day, according to your own statement; second, Mr. Rackstraw's office closes at five o'clock.' But we may be able to discover where Mr. Rackstraw lives.' 'Well?' 'Well?' I echoed, irritated at his seeming discouragement of my plan. 'Turk, can't you see that I'm almost mad with misery. I thought you were a friend----' 'And am I not? That's news to Turk. What good can you do by finding out Mr. Rackstraw's private address?' 'He may tell me where Mr. Glover lives.' 'And then?' demanded Turk, in a grave and sorrowful tone. I turned from him petulantly. 'If you do not care to understand me,' I said, 'I had best go alone.' I walked swiftly onwards towards Mr. Rackstraw's office, Turk following me at a distance of a few paces. Mr. Rackstraw's office was situated in a quiet narrow street in the rear of Covent-garden. It was closed, as I expected it would be, and although I rang all the bells on the door for fully ten minutes, I received no answer. Turk stood quietly near me, without speaking. I was heartily ashamed of myself for my treatment of him, and I made an attempt at reconciliation by holding out my hand to him as I turned disconsolately from Mr. Rackstraw's door. He took my hand with affectionate eagerness. 'I can't find it in my heart,' he said with rough tenderness, 'to be angry with you; but I ought to be.' 'I _am_ ashamed of myself for behaving so badly to you, Turk, but I couldn't help it. I think I am ready to do any mad or foolish thing.' 'Oh, I don't care about myself. I have a stronger reason for being angry with you. Who of we two should be Jessie's champion? You, I should say. Yet I am obliged to defend her from your suspicions. If you were ten years older than you are, I should quarrel with you, Chris; I would with any other man who dared to say a word against her.' 'Who has said anything against her?' I demanded hotly.