Lionel, and hopeful that, if he did, his prostrate and weak state would offer opportunities for arriving at the truth.

As Harry reached the bottom, D. Wragg, pipe in hand, made his appearance, craning his neck, and thrusting his face forward in disagreeable proximity to that of his visitor, as in answer to Harry's "Good night,” he exclaimed

"I know!"

"Know what," said Harry, sharply, his thoughts instantly reverting to Lionel, and the hope that if D. Wragg knew anything, now in his state of semi-intoxication, he might divulge some clue to the mystery that had troubled them for so long. But if D. Wragg possessed a secret, it seemed to be one from which he felt in no haste to part; for, with drunken solemnity, he merely shook his head a great many times, and then drew back softly into his shop, closing the door after him; but only to open it again a few inches, so as to allow the passage of his head as he muttered gruffly, throwing the words, as it were, at his visitor-

"Never mind!"

CHAPTER XIV.

A QUESTION.

"BEEN here five minutes, sir," said Sergeant Falkner, as Harry Clayton entered the passage of the Regent Street house. “Yes, five minutes exactly," he continued, referring to his watch. "I'd allowed myself ten minutes to wait and see if Sir Richard woke up; and if he had not at the end of that time, I was off. But as you've come, sir, that'll do as well, for I promised him I'd look in and state progress every day.”

"What news have you, then ?" said Harry. "I don't know as I have any as yet, sir." Harry gave a fresh gesture of impatience. "Slow and sure, sir, 's my motto," said the sergeant. "Tain't always that one can make

a dead swoop down.

down. I should have liked to have brought you word that I had found next day after getting instructions; but a case of this sort is like hatching chickens—it takes time. You've been thinking as the eggs are

're wrong,

sir. I

all addled, but p'raps you don't know. I won't say but what I might have heard one little thing beginning to peck inside, and one may have a good brood yet —who knows!"

"But have you anything authentic you can tell me?" said Harry, who was wearied out with these many purposeless visits, the endless consultations, the trivial information demanded, and after all the small result.

"Nothing, sir, as yet.

Only I tell you

this, I think I shall have something for you directly."

"Hope deferred," said Harry, bitterly.

66

Maketh the heart sick-eh, sir? Exactly so, and good news is the physic as makes it well again. Have a little more patience with me, and you may be satisfied yet."

Harry bent his head.

66

Look here, sir," said the sergeant; “just another word before I go.

very often to Decadia lately."

66

You've been

Well, sir, if you'll take my advice, you

won't go there so often.

Why not? you

think. My answer to that is—We haven't

found your friend yet; and my experience of some parts of London is, that there are men in it who think a deal more of a pound or two than they do of a man's life."

Here Sergeant Falkner fixed a bold clear eye upon that of the young man for a few seconds, nodded sagely, and then departed.

Left alone, Harry stood thoughtful and half startled for a few minutes before going up to Sir Francis' room, where the baronet still remained sleeping, evidently under the influence of some sedative, for there was a graduated bottle upon the little table by the head of his couch, and a faint odour that reminded Harry of visits to a photographer's pervaded the room.

"Must be ether!" he said, softly, as he went on tip-toe to the bedside, and anxiously looked down on the pallid troubled face, whose expression-even in sleep-told of the tortured mind, and the pangs which the old man was called upon to suffer.

"Let him sleep," said Harry to himself, and he stole gently from the room to sit and think for a while, when, the hour being far too early for bed, he lit a cigar, and went out for

half-an-hour's stroll before retiring for the night.

route.

"I wonder whether we shall ever see him again?" thought Harry, as he turned down one of the quiet streets, intending to make a circuit and return to the chambers by another His thoughts were busy now,-he was running over in a half-troubled way the words of the sergeant that night, for they had left their impression; then he felt disheartened and sad, as he thought of Patty's intimacy with the Decadia people, and the way in which she was dragged into the affair, trembling, too, as it struck him that there might be legal inquiry, and she called upon to give evidence. At last he came to the conclusion that he would go and boldly beg of Jared Pellet to keep her away from the wretched district, and quickened his steps as if about to go at once, till he recollected. the hour, and once more slackened his pace.

The street was perfectly empty, the lines of lamps looking in the distance like a vista of golden beads hung in the air.

Suddenly he was aroused from his musings, and, turning sharply, he was face to face with,