“Thank you, my lady. I will call and see if I am wanted at the time you say,” answered the policeman, lifting his hand to his head by way of salute, and then leaving the room, followed by the waiter. “Now then, Pina, you say that little Lenny’s father has got him?” said Drusilla, trembling with excess of emotion, yet still striving to keep calm. “Yes, ma’am, I suppose he has by this time,” sobbed the girl. “You suppose he has by this time? Pina, Pina! that is not what you said before. Pina, what do you mean? You surely said his father had him!” “I said Mr. Lyon was at the bottom of it, ma’am—at the bottom of little Lenny’s being carried off, I mean—and I stand to it, as he was!” “Oh, Heaven! did not his father carry him off, then?” “No, ma’am; not with his own hands, but he was at the bottom of it—I say it, and I stand to it!” “Merciful Heaven! if his father did not carry him off who then did? Girl, girl! do you know how you torture me? I thought at first my Lenny had been lost by straying away from you; then you said his father was concerned in his disappearance: now you say his father did not take him? In the name of Mercy, who did? Speak—for the Lord’s sake, speak quickly?” “Oh, ma’am, I will—I will tell you all I know, but don’t, don’t look so—don’t, ma’am, or you’ll kill me!” sobbed Pina. “TELL WHO TOOK THE CHILD THEN!” said Anna, speaking sternly and stamping her foot. “I DON’T KNOW WHO DID!” burst, amid sobs, from Pina’s lips. Drusilla stifled the shrieks that were ready to burst from her lips. “You don’t know who did! Why, then, did you accuse Lord Killcrichtoun?” demanded Anna. “I didn’t accuse him, ma’am—I said as he was at the bottom of it,” said Pina, who seemed to be unable to change her phraseology. “I said he was at the bottom of it, and I stand to it as he was!” “Oh, Anna, Anna, time flies! If Lenny is not with Alick, where is he? Oh, where is he? He must be found at once—at once! I cannot live or breathe till he is found! She must be made to tell how she lost him!” cried Drusilla, losing all her self-command and starting up in great excitement,—“He must be sought for, Anna! he must be sought for at once!” “Of course he must; but the search must be commenced with this girl who was the last person with him. Pina, you say you don’t know who took the child from you?” “No, ma’am, I don’t—but know his father was at the bottom of it—I know it, and I’ll stand to it!” “Why do you think so?” “Oh, Anna, Anna, you lose time with all this talk!” “No, I don’t; we must find out from her where and how we are to begin to search. Now, Pina, why do you think Lord Killcrichtoun was concerned in this matter?” “Lor’, ma’am, because it stands to reason as he was. Lenny is his own son, which also they are very fond of each other—Lenny of he, and him of Lenny! And so it was nateral he should want to have him. I’m not saying as it was right or anything like right, but it was so!”