'I have, indeed, dear; haven't I? Well, I will.' And, standing, he drank nearly half the cup she had poured out for him, and set it down, and felt in his pocket, she thought, for his keys. 'Are you looking for anything, Willie, darling? Your keys are in my basket.' 'No, darling; no, darling--nothing. I have everything I want. I think I must go to the Lodge and see Mr. Larkin, for a moment.' 'But you have eaten nothing,' remonstrated his partner; 'you must not go until you have eaten something.' 'Time enough, darling; I can't wait--I sha'n't be away twenty minutes--time enough when I come back.' 'Have you heard anything of Mark, darling?' she enquired eagerly. 'Of Mark? Oh, no!--nothing of Mark.' And he added with a deep sigh, 'Oh, dear! I wonder he does not write--no, nothing of Mark.' She followed him into the hall. 'Now, Willie darling, you must not go till you have had your breakfast--you will make yourself ill--indeed you will--do come back, just to please me, and eat a little first.' 'No, darling; no, my love--I can't, indeed. I'll be back immediately; but I must catch Mr. Larkin before he goes out. It is only a little matter--I want to ask his opinion--and--oh! here is my stick--and I'll return immediately.' 'And I'll go with you,' cried little Fairy. 'No, no, little man; I can't take you--no, it is business--stay with mamma, and I'll be back again in a few minutes.' So, spite of Fairy's clamours and the remonstrances of his fond, clinging little wife, with a hurried kiss or two, away he went alone, at a very quick pace, through the high street of Gylingden, and was soon in the audience chamber of the serious, gentleman attorney. The attorney rose with a gaunt and sad smile of welcome--begged Mr. Wylder, with a wave of his long hand, to be seated--and then seating himself and crossing one long thigh over the other, he threw his arm over the back of his chair, and leaning back with what he conceived to be a graceful and gentlemanly negligence--with his visitor full in the light of the window and his own countenance in shadow, the light coming from behind--a diplomatic arrangement which he affected--he fixed his small, pink eyes observantly upon him, and asked if he could do anything for Mr. William Wylder. 'Have you heard anything since, Mr. Larkin? Can you conjecture where his address may now be?' asked the vicar, a little abruptly. 'Oh! Mr. Mark Wylder, perhaps, you refer to?' 'Yes; my brother, Mark.' Mr. Larkin smiled a sad and simple smile, and shook his head.