She bent down, and, before he could stop her, kissed his hand. "Oh, how noble you are--how noble!" Then she ran into the house to prevent further betrayal of emotion. Jarman turned away sadly. "No hope for me," he thought. "She loves the boy, and he her. The two young things have been loyal to me, and have not come to an understanding. Shall I be less noble? Well, well, well!" He passed his hand across his face with a sigh. "We shall see." At the Mardon railway station Jarman saw Darrel getting into the train. He gave a scowl as his eyes fell on his enemy, but made no remark. Thinking that the Rhodesian was losing no time, and wondering if he really knew where the hunted man was to be found, Eustace slipped into a third-class smoker. He dismissed the big man from his thoughts, as the only chance of saving Frank lay in getting evidence to prove his innocence. And Jarman hoped to get a portion of such evidence from the servant, Tilly Samuels. On arriving at Liverpool Street he took the underground train to South Kensington, and soon found himself in Sand Lane. At the door of the house formerly occupied by Starth he saw two women. One was Tilly, who was weeping, and the other--Miss Cork. CHAPTER XXII MISS CORK EXPLAINS The housekeeper looked lean and shadowy as usual. She was still dressed in grey, and wore her hair screwed into the same door-knob that Jarman knew so well. But her face wore a smile, and she was staring at Tilly with passionate affection. When she heard Jarman's foot on the pavement, she turned round with the look of a tigress ready to defend her cubs. But at the sight of her old master she changed colour, and made as if to run away. But Eustace caught her by the elbow, and prevented her departure. Tilly, who wore the blue dress and the picture-hat, looked amazed and indignant. "'Ere, sir," she said shrilly, "jes leave my mother be, d'ye see!" "Your mother?" said Eustace, recalling Miss Cork's mention of a stolen child. "Jus' so," snapped Tilly, making warlike demonstration with the yellow umbrella. "I'll call the policeman round the corner, an' he's a friend o' mine. It's bad enough for that old Betts to keep m' box, without m' mother being hit," and she again began to weep. "Hush, child," said Miss Cork, sharply, and removing her arm from the grasp of Eustace. "I must speak with this gentleman. I had hoped never to see you again, Mr. Jarman"--with a curtsey--"as I have behaved ungrateful. But if you will put temptation in poor folks' way, you must take the consequence." "But what temptation are you speaking of?" "That's a long story," said Miss Cork. "We can't talk here, and Mrs. Betts, who employed my child, has turned her out of the house." "Without m' box," snivelled Tilly, wiping her eyes with a pair of cotton lavender gloves. "Alt's presents is in it, too."