And the fearful blows Minna Varian had received from the hand of Fate, did indeed seem to change her whole nature, and instead of a pettish, spoiled woman, she was now quiet, serious, and mentally capable. She kept herself buoyed up with a hope of Betty’s return. This hope Zizi fostered, and as the days went by, it came to be a settled belief in Minna’s mind, that sooner or later her child would be restored to her waiting arms. Nurse Fletcher did not approve of this state of things at all. “You know that girl will never be found!” she would say to Zizi. “You only pretend that you think she will, and it isn’t right to fill Mrs Varian’s mind with fairy tales as you do!” “Now, Nurse,” Zizi would wheedle her, “you let me alone. I’m sure Mrs Varian would collapse utterly if the hope of Betty’s return were taken away from her. You know she would! So, don’t you dare say a word that will disturb her confidence!” Doctor Varian agreed with Zizi’s ideas, regarding Minna, though he said frankly, he had grave doubts of ever seeing Betty again. “To my mind,” he said, as he and Zizi had a little confidential chat, “nothing has been accomplished. Nearly a month has passed since Betty disappeared. There is no theory compatible with a hope that she has been kept safely and comfortably all that time. The kidnappers,—if there are any——” “Why doubt their existence?” “Because I’m not at all sure that those ransom letters are genuine. Anybody could demand ransom.” “You’re not at all sure of anything, Doctor Varian,” Zizi said, “and strictly speaking, Mr Wise isn’t either. But he is sure enough to go away and stay all this time,—he’s been gone ten days now, and I know unless he was on a promising trail he would have abandoned it before this.” And Pennington Wise was on a promising trail. It was proving a long, slow business, but he was making progress. His first start had been from Lawrence North’s New York office. This he found closed and locked, and no one in attendance. Instead of bring disturbed at this, he regarded it as a step forward. The owner of the building in which Mr North’s office was, told the detective that Mr North had gone away for the summer,—that he had said, his office would be closed until September, at least, and that there was nothing doing. Wise persuaded him that there was a great deal doing and in the name of justice and a few other important personages he must hand over a key of that office. At last this was done, and Wise went eagerly about the examination of Lawrence North’s books and papers. The fact that he found nothing indicative, was to him an important indication. North’s business, evidently, was of a vague and sketchy character. He seemed to have an agency for two or three inconspicuous real estate firms, and he appeared to have put over a few unimportant deals. What was important, however, was a small advertisement, almost cut out from a newspaper and almost overlooked by the detective.