“Keep up that faith in her heart, Dick. Lead her to believe also in the restitution of her child as an event that may occur any day, any hour, as you know it may.” Dick sighed heavily. “But it may! And it shall! I, too, sinner that I am, have learned to pray. I pray daily, hourly, that I may be permitted to find the child and bring it as a peace offering to my dear, injured wife. And I shall do it. I feel sure that I shall.” “Heaven grant that you may,” sighed Dick; “but recollect that already everything has been done that experience, interest, energy, money, skill, can do.” “But not all that _despair_ can do! Oh, Dick! I have so set my heart on finding this child and bringing him to his mother that I shall surely do it.” “The Lord send it.” “And therefore, Dick, I want you to prepare her to expect the child; or, rather, to believe it probable that he will soon be found; so that when I do bring him to her she may not die from a shock of joy.” “I will do as you request, Alick; but I shall have to act with great discretion in the matter.” “Certainly you will, and you can. Does she know anything about——” Alick hesitated to name the _affair of honor_ of which he was now so heartily ashamed. “Does she know anything about——” “Your illness in Jersey, or its cause?” said Dick, delicately coming to his help. “Of course not. We were not going to tell her anything to add to her troubles.” “You were right!—But what a heartless wretch she must think me, to be in town and to show no interest in the loss of my child!” exclaimed Alexander. Dick could not help remembering that Drusilla had had quite cause enough to believe him a “heartless wretch” without this. But Dick was very good-natured, so he said: “She knows that you were not in town. She went to your hotel at once to apprize you of the loss of your child——” “She did! Drusilla did that!” exclaimed Alexander, interrupting him. “Yes, she did—within an hour after the discovery was made, and——-” “Bless her! bless her!” fervently ejaculated Alexander. —“She was told that you had left town for Southampton. I think she received the impression that you had sailed for America.” “I am very glad of that. But is it not strange that she did not see that ill-natured paragraph in the papers referring to the——” “Not at all. The paragraph in question was in but one day’s issue, and that was the day she was in her greatest agony about her child; and besides, she never has looked at paper or book since her heavy loss. She has done nothing but pray and search, as I said before.” “Poor child! poor child! Dick, tell her nothing of me. I do not wish that she shall see me, or hear from me, until I bring her the child. But give my love and thanks to my uncle, and tell him what I am about. But here comes the waiter.” Breakfast was brought in and arranged upon the table, and the friends drew up to it.