"When I come back!" he roared savagely, as he recovered himself; and, springing through the door, he bounded down the stairs after Harry Vine, father and sister staggering to the landing just as the door across the hall swung to with a heavy bang, and the sounds of feet rapidly beating the shingle rose loudly on the silence of the night. Volume 2, Chapter X. ON HIS BEHALF. "What have I done? what have I done?" groaned Vine. "I might have forgiven him and let him escape, and then--Louise, Louise, my child, come with me. We must find him and help." Louise hurried back into her room to get hat and scarf, and returned to the landing to find her father and Aunt Margaret face to face. "It is a judgment upon you, George--a judgment!" cried the old lady excitedly. "Yes; you dragged the poor boy down to that wretched life, and in his madness and misery he made one bold stroke for freedom." "Louise, my child, quick!" cried Vine. "I cannot answer her now. Quick! get me away, or I shall say words to her that I shall repent as long as I live." "I say it is a judgment!" cried Aunt Margaret. "Poor boy! if you had taken my advice--" The door closed. They were out in the clear, starry night, hurrying down the path toward the town, but Aunt Margaret's words were ringing in Vine's ears. A judgment. Why? What had he done? "Have I been to blame? Is she right? Have I been to blame?" he muttered, as they hurried down, the words being the secret communing of his heart, but they were loud enough for Louise to hear, and as she clung to his arm she whispered emphatically--"No, father, no!" "No? Louise, what are you saying?" "That you have not been to blame. My dear, patient, indulgent father." "Indulgent?" he said hoarsely. "Yes; indulgent. I have been indulgent, and yet Heaven knows how I have striven to make ours a happy home for all." "And you have, father," sobbed Louise, "till Harry proved so wilful and went astray." "Yes; went astray. But he must go, my child; he must not be taken. I have a little money with me, and will send him more. I want to do that which is just and right, but I could not bear to see him taken off to gaol." Louise uttered a low moan as they hurried on down the path. "Where will he go? Where will he hide?" whispered Vine, excitedly. "He could not escape by the road, the railway station is certain to be watched, and there is the telegraph." "Stop!" said Louise, holding one hand to her head, as in the terrible confusion of conflicting thought she tried to recall something her brother had said. "Yes, I recollect now," she said. "He told me he meant to escape across to France, and that he would ask one of the fishermen to sail with him to St Malo." "Hah! yes. Then he will escape. Whom did he say?" "I cannot recollect the name, and yet it is familiar." "Try, my child, try." "I am trying hard, father," said Louise sadly, "but I cannot recollect."