She had quitted the house soon after Verity himself, and had not been seen since.

Storm and rage as he might, and did, David could not discover his niece's whereabouts.

He spent a wearying and tortured night, a harassed and miserable day, devoted to frantic inquiries in every possible direction with interludes of specious lying to the infatuated Bulmer.

But enlightment came on Thursday morning.

A letter arrived by the first post.