The hope was vain.

Here he lingered but a short time.

His next step was to give information to the police, and to furnish for all the morning papers an advertisement, detailing the circumstances attendant on the child's abduction.

This done, he again returned home, to console, the best he could, his afflicted wife, and to wait the developments of the succeeding day.
Utterly fruitless were all the means used by Claire to gain intelligence of the missing child.

Two days went by, yet not the least clue to the mystery of her absence had been found.