“Then he enlisted in the army and deserted. He was in the States; but suddenly his letters stopped coming two years ago, and for a year and more Henry has been trying to find out what had become of him.” “You say that John Scoble abandoned his wife in England. Are you sure of your facts in this matter, Mr. Stockling?” “Am I sure of them? Isn’t my chum, George Hastings, the own cousin of Mrs. John Scoble? He told me all about it; and we went to Henry’s hotel in order to induce him to do something for the deserted wife.” “Is John Scoble’s wife still living?” “She was living six months ago at Nassau, where she went out as the nurse of a family; but about four months ago George had an answer to a letter of inquiry about her, informing him that she had left the island, and no one knew where she had gone.” “What was the lady’s maiden name?” asked the captain indifferently. “Ruth Hastings. Scoble thought she was rich; but when he found that she had only five hundred pounds he abused her, and then abandoned her.” “That’s the whole story, is it?” “That’s the whole of it. Henry Scoble was a widower. He would not help the wife, or do anything to bring his brother to a sense of duty,” said the official in conclusion. Mr. Stockling lunched in the cabin with the party, and was treated as well as the governor of the island would have been. Captain Ringgold decided not to say a word about the important information he had obtained to Louis or his mother. If the facts were as stated, the marriage of Mrs. Belgrave was doubly invalid from the beginning. But it was necessary to prove the facts, and the commander felt that he needed the services of Squire Scarburn. Mrs. Belgrave was alarmed at the idea of legal proceedings in a foreign land, and she insisted upon sailing for New York at once, in which she was warmly seconded by her son. The pilot had been retained on board; a boat came off for Stockling at a signal, and in the middle of the afternoon the Guardian-Mother went to sea. The principal object of the voyage had been fully accomplished, and perhaps something more, though the commander did not feel full confidence in the statements made to him. The steamer made a quick and smooth passage, and Louis and his mother were supremely happy, quite as much so as though they had been in the new house. Louis was hugged by Uncle Moses when he went into the office, and Mrs. Belgrave and Mrs. Blossom were warmly welcomed. As soon as an opportunity presented, Captain Ringgold privately stated the important information he had obtained in Bermuda to Uncle Moses. The squire was astounded at the revelation, for it seemed to solve the problem that vexed him and the mother of his ward. Was the information reliable? “The first thing to be done is to make a thorough investigation of the statements,” said he, looking very serious for him. “Where?” asked the captain.