“By no means, my dear,” objected Mr. Cory. “A cry will do the child good. Our presence would only impose restraint upon her. Depend upon it, she will come down soon, all the better for giving way for once. God knows she must have had nerves of iron lately, and it was high time that her work was done. She has borne up splendidly, but to have continued the strain under which she has lived since Harley was committed would have killed her.” And Mr. Cory was quite right. The girl had borne as much as she could. But she came back presently, quite composed, and ready to talk things over quietly. Mrs. Riddell had gone to bed, but, even after supper was over, Annie proved herself an insatiable listener. “How is the Stavanger family going on?” she asked. “Well,” her father answered. “I rather think that Mr. David Stavanger must have become aware of his son’s guilt, and that the effort to hide it is preying upon his mind. I hear that he has dissolved partnership with his brother, and has realised his share of the business. His eldest daughter is married, and he has gone with his wife and younger daughter to live at Boulogne. It has been an object with me to keep him in sight, as I thought it possible that his son might join him. The dissolution of partnership and the removal seem to have been very suddenly taken steps indeed, and my private inquiry agent told me that they were the result of a quarrel with Mr. Samuel Stavanger. If this is true, perhaps the latter suspects his nephew’s guilt.” “Whether he does or not is immaterial to us, father. We can prove all that is necessary without him.” “Yes; but we could not be sure of that until lately. The capture of both the culprits was hardly to be hoped for. Come in!” In response to this permission, a servant entered to say that Mr. Jenkins wished to see Mr. Cory. Mr. Jenkins, feeling sure of a welcome, followed the servant into the room, and was speedily communicating some important information to his three hearers. “Annie,” said Mr. Cory, as soon as the servant had closed the door behind her, “this is the agent who has been working for us at Boulogne. Perhaps he has some fresh discoveries to report.”