"Has the young lady no mother?" The words were uttered very slowly. It seemed to her that her life hung upon his answer. "Oh, make your mind easy about that! She has no mother--never had one," with a coarse laugh. "She might be a princess for all that's known about her. But that's no business of yours." "No. You will be sure to write to me?" "Do you think," said Ned, with a significant look at the bank-notes, "that I'd be such a fool with my money if I didn't mean what I've said? Not likely! Take care and act the character well--tell her any stories you like about swell ladies and fine people--she likes to hear 'em. Goodbye, aunty." With a familiar nod and swagger he passed out of the room. Almost before Mrs. Lenoir had time to recover her composure, she was rejoined by Lizzie, whose appearance betokened a state of great excitement. "Oh, Mrs. Lenoir," she cried, "Charlie knows him--Charlie knows him!" "Knows whom?" "The gentleman who has just gone out. Charlie ran round in his dinner hour to see me, and we were talking together in the passage when the gentleman passed. Charlie knew him directly, although it's years since he saw him, and although Charlie was only a boy at the time. His name's Chester--Ned Chester." "Lizzie, you are lifting a great weight from my heart. He gave me another name. Are you sure Charlie is right?" "Am I sure?" repeated Lizzie, with a saucy toss of her head. "Charlie is never wrong." "Is Charlie downstairs?" "No, he has gone back to work." "Lizzie, will you help me if it is in your power?" "Ah, that I will--gladly!" "I have a presentiment that a great crisis in my life is approaching. I must not stir out of the house; I am waiting for a letter." She took her purse from her pocket, and counted the money in it; there were altogether but a very few shillings. "I want money, Lizzie," she said, casting her eyes rapidly around, and collecting all the small articles in the room upon which money could be raised. She retained but one article of value--a miniature of herself, set in a slender framework of gold. "Run and see what you can get upon these things, Lizzie; the desk was a valuable one in years gone by. I want every shilling I can raise." "I can lend you a little, Mrs. Lenoir." ".God reward you, my dear! I Will take it. You shall be repaid, if I live." "I know that. Why, Mrs. Lenoir!" she had caught sight of the bank-notes on the table. "It is traitor's money, Lizzie, left by the man who was here a few minutes since. A curse, instead of a blessing might fall upon me if I used one penny of it." At five o'clock in the afternoon, Mrs. Lenoir received the following note: "Meet the young lady at Ludgate Hill Station at half-past six o'clock. You will find her waiting for you in the ladies' room. I have decided upon Sevenoaks as a good starting-place. I will see you there to-night. "A.T." CHAPTER XXVII