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〃But；　doctor；〃　said　Grace；　〃if　he　has　gone　away　at　all；　he　must　have　told　somebody。　　Even　if　there　was　nobody　he　loved；　he　would　tell　ah！　Mr。　Bolt！！〃

〃You　are　right。　　Let　us　go　to　him　at　once。〃

They　found　Mr。　Bolt　in　quite　a　different　frame　of　mind　from　their　own；　he　was　breathing　vengeance。　　However；　he　showed　some　feeling　for　Grace；　and　told　the　doctor　plainly　he　feared　the　worst。　　Little　had　been　downhearted　for　some　time；　and　at　last　he　（Bolt）　had　lost　patience　with　him；　and　had　proposed　to　him　to　take　an　annual　payment　of　nine　hundred　pounds　instead　of　a　share；　and　leave　the　concern。　Little　had　asked　two　days　to　consider　this　proposal。　　〃Now；〃　argued　Bolt；　〃if　he　meant　to　leave　England；　he　could　not　do　better　than　take　my　offer：　and　he　would　have　taken　it　before　he　left。　　He　would　have　called；　or　else　sent　me　a　letter。　　But　no；　not　a　word！　　It's　a　bad　job：　I'm　fond　of　money；　but　I'd　give　a　few　thousands　to　see　him　alive　again。　　But　I　don't　think　I　ever　shall。　　There　are　five　hundred　thousand　bricks　of　ours　in　that　river；　and　a　foot　and　a　half　of　mud。〃

While　they　were　both　shuddering　at　this　dark　allusion；　he　went　off　into　idle　threats；　and　Grace　left　him；　sick　and　cold；　and　clinging　to　Dr。　Amboyne　like　a　drowning　woman。

〃Have　courage；〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne。　　〃There　is　one　chance　left　us。　His　mother！　　I　will　telegraph　to　Aberystwith。〃

They　drove　together　to　the　telegraph…office；　and　sent　a　telegram。　The　doctor　would　not　consent　to　frighten　Mrs。　Little　to　death。　　He　simply　asked　whether　her　son　had　just　visited　or　written　to　her。　The　answer　was　paid　for；　but　four　hours　elapsed；　and　no　answer　came。

Then　Grace　implored　the　doctor　to　go　with　her　to　Aberystwith。　　He　looked　grave；　and　said　she　was　undertaking　too　much。　　She　replied；　almost　fiercely；　that　she　must　do　all　that　could　be　done；　or　she　should　go　mad。

〃But　your　father；　my　dear！〃

〃He　is　in　London。　　I　will　tell　him　all　when　he　returns。　　He　would　let　me　go　anywhere　with　you。　　I　must　go；　I　will！〃

At　four　o'clock　they　were　in　the　train。　　They　spoke　to　each　other　but　little　on　the　way；　their　hearts　were　too　full　of　dire　forebodings　to　talk　about　nothings。　　But；　when　they　were　in　the　fly　at　Aberystwith；　going　from　the　station　to　Mrs。　Little's　lodgings；　Grace　laid　her　head　on　her　friend's　shoulder　and　said；　〃Oh；　doctor；　it　has　come　to　this；　I　hope　he　loved　his　mother　better　than　me。〃　Then　came　a　flood　of　tearsthe　first。

They　went　to　Mrs。　Little's　lodgings。　　The　landlady　had　retired　to　bed；　and；　on　hearing　their　errand；　told　them；　out　of　the　second…　floor　window；　that　Mrs。　Little　had　left　her　some　days　ago；　and　gone　to　a　neighboring　village　for　change　of　air。

Grace　and　Dr。　Amboyne　drove　next　morning　to　that　village；　and　soon　learned　where　Mrs。　Little　was。　　Dr。　Amboyne　left　Grace　at　the　inn；　for　he　knew　the　sight　of　her　would　at　once　alarm　Mrs。　Little；　and　in　a　matter　so　uncertain　as　this；　he　thought　the　greatest　caution　necessary。　　Grace　waited　for　him　at　the　inn　in　an　agony　of　suspense。　She　watched　at　the　window　for　him；　and　at　last　she　saw　him　coming　toward　her。　　His　head　was　down；　and　she　could　not　read　his　face；　or　she　could　have　told　in　a　moment　whether　he　brought　good　news　or　bad。

She　waited　for　him；　erect　but　trembling。　　He　opened　the　door；　and　stood　before　her；　pale　and　agitatedso　pale　and　agitated　she　had　never　seen　him　before。

He　faltered　out；　〃She　knows　nothing。　　She　must　know　nothing。　　She　is　too　ill　and　weak；　and；　indeed；　in　such　a　condition　that　to　tell　her　the　fatal　news　would　probably　have　killed　her　on　the　spot。　　All　I　dared　do　was　to　ask　her　with　assumed　indifference　if　she　had　heard　from　Henry　lately。　　No；　Grace；　not　for　these　three　days。〃

He　sat　down　and　groaned　aloud。

〃You　love　the　son；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　love　the　mother：　loved　her　years　before　you　were　born。〃

At　this　unexpected　revelation　Grace　Carden　kissed　him；　and　wept　on　his　shoulder。　　Then　they　went　sadly　home　again。

Doctor　Amboyne　now　gave　up　all　hopes　of　Henry；　and　his　anxiety　was　concentrated　on　Mrs。　Little。　　How　on　earth　was　he　to　save　her　from　a　shock　likely　to　prove　fatal　in　her　weak　condition？　　To　bring　her　to　Hillsborough　in　her　present　state　would　be　fatal。　　He　was　compelled　to　leave　her　in　Wales；　and　that　looked　so　like　abandoning　her。　　He　suffered　torture；　the　torture　that　only　noble　minds　can　know。　　At　midnight；　as　he　lay　in　bed；　and　revolved　in　his　mind　all　the　difficulties　and　perils　of　this　pitiable　situation；　an　idea　struck　him。　　He　would　try　and　persuade　Mrs。　Little　to　marry　him。　　Should　she　consent；　he　could　then　take　her　on　a　wedding…tour；　and　that　tour　he　could　easily　extend　from　place　to　place；　putting　off　the　evil　time　until；　strong　in　health　and　conjugal　affection；　she　might　be　able　to　endure　the　terrible；　the　inevitable　blow。　　The　very　next　morning　he　wrote　her　an　eloquent　letter；　he　told　her　that　Henry　had　gone　suddenly　off　to　Australia　to　sell　his　patents；　that　almost　his　last　word　had　been；　〃My　mother！　　I　leave　her　to　you。〃　　This；　said　the　doctor；　is　a　sacred　commission；　and　how　can　I　execute　it？　　I　cannot　invite　you　to　Hillsborough；　for　the　air　is　fatal　to　you。　Think　of　your　half…promise；　and　my　many　years　of　devotion；　and　give　me　the　right　to　carry　out　your　son's　wishes　to　the　full。

Mrs。　Little　replied　to　this　letter；　and　the　result　of　the　correspondence　was　this：　she　said　she　would　marry　him　if　she　could　recover　her　health；　but　THAT　she　feared　she　never　should　until　she　was　reconciled　to　her　brother。

Meantime　Grace　Carden　fell　into　a　strange　state：　fits　of　feverish　energy；　fits　of　death…like　stupor。　　She　could　do　nothing；　yet　it　maddened　her　to　be　idle。　　With　Bolt's　permission；　she　set　workmen　to　remove　all　the　remains　of　the　chimney　that　could　be　got　atthe　water　was　high　just　then：　she　had　a　barge　and　workmen；　and　often　watched　them；　and　urged　them　by　her　presence。　　Not　that　she　ever　spoke；　but　she　hovered　about　with　her　marble　face　and　staring　eyes；　and　the　sight　of　her　touched　their　hearts　and　spurred　them　to　exertion。

Sometimes　she　used　to　stand　on　a　heap　of　bricks　hard　by；　and　peer；　with　dilated　eyes　into　the　dark　stream；　and　watch　each　bucket；　or　basket；　as　it　came　up　with　bricks；　and　rubbish；　and　mud；　from　the　bottom。

At　other　times　she　would　stand　on　the　bridge　and　lean　over　the　battlements　so　far　as　if　she　would　fly　down　and　search　for　her　dead　lover。

One　day　as　she　hung　thus；　glaring　into　the　water；　she　heard　a　deep　sigh。　　She　looked　up；　and　there　was　a　face　almost　as　pale　as　her　own；　and　even　more　haggard；　looking　at　her　with　a　strange　mixture　of　pain　and　pity。　　This　ghastly　spectator　of　her　agony　was　himself　a　miserable　man；　it　was　Frederick　Coventry。　　His　crime　had　brought　him　no　happiness；　no　hope　of　happiness。

At　sight　of　him　Grace　Carden　groaned；　and　covered　her　face　with　her　hands。

Coventry　drew　back　dismayed。　　His　guilty　conscience　misinterpreted　this。

〃You　can　forgive　us　now；〃　said　Grace；　with　a　deep　sob：　then　turned　away　with　sullen　listlessness；　and　continued　her　sad　scrutiny。

Coventry　loved　her；　after　his　fashion；　and　her　mute　but　eloquent　misery　moved　him。

He　drew　nearer　to　her；　and　said　softly；　〃Do　not　look　so；　I　can't　bear　it。　　He　is　not　there。〃

〃Ah！　　How　do　you　know？〃

Coventry　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　seemed　uneasy；　but　at　last　he　replied　thus：　〃There　were　two　explosions。　　The　chimney　fell　into　the　river　a　moment　before　the　explosion　that　blew　up　the　works。　　So　how　can　he　be　buried　under　the　ruins　of　the　chimney？　　I　know　this　from　a　workman　who　was　standing　on　the　bridge　when　the　explosions　took　place。〃

Bless　the　tongue　that　tells　me　that！　　Oh；　how　much　wiser　you　are　than　the　rest　of　us！　　Mr。　Coventry；　pity　and　forgive　a　poor　girl　who　has　used　you　ill。　　Tell　metell　mewhat　can　have　become　of　him？〃

Coventry　was　much　agitated；　and　could　not　speak　for　some　time；　and　when　he　did；　it　was　in　a　faint　voice　as　of　one　exhausted　by　a　mental　struggle。　　〃Would　you　rather　he　wasdeadorfalse？〃

〃Oh　falsea　thousand　times！　　Prove　to　me　he　is　not　dead；　but　only　false　to　his　poor　Grace；　and　I　will　bless　you　on　my　knees。〃

Coventry's　eye　flashed。　　〃Well；　then；　he　was　the　lover　of　Jael　Dence；　the　girl　who　fought　for　him；　and　shed　her　blood　for　him；　and　saved　his　life。　　The　connection　was　open　and　notorious。〃

Grace　was　silent。

〃Many　a　man　has　fled　from　two　women；　who　could　have　been　happy　with　either　of　them。　　I　believe　that　this　man　found　himself　unable　to　play　the　double　game　any　longer；　and　that　he　has　fled　the　country〃

〃I　pray　God　it　may　be　so；〃　sobbed　Grace。

〃Through　remorse；　or　from　dread　of　exposure。　　Have　patience。　　Do　not　kill　yourself；　and　break　all　our　hearts。　　Take　my　word　for　it；　you　will　hear　from　him　in　a　few　days；　and　he　will　give　your　reasons　for　his　strange　disappearanceexcellent；　business…like　reasons；　but　not　the　true　ones：　there　will　not　be　a　word　about　Jael　Dence。〃　　This　last　with　a　sneer。

Grace　turned　on　him　with　eyes　that　literally　gleamed：　〃You　hated　him　living；　you　slander　him　dead。　　Falsehood　was　not　in　him：　his　affection　for　Jael　Dence　was　no　secret。　　I　knew　it；　and　approved　it。　It　was　as　pure　as　heaven。　　His　poor　mutilated　body　will　soon　contradict　these　vile　calumnies。　　I　hate　you！　　I　hate　you！〃

Coventry　drew　back　at　first　from　this　burst　of　ire；　but　soon　he　met　her　glance　with　one　of　fiendish　bitterness。　　〃You　hate　me　for　pitying　you；　and　saying　that　man　is　not　dead。　　Well；　have　your　own　way；　then；　he　is　not　false；　but　dead。〃

He　turned　on　his　heel；　and　went　away。

As　for　Mr。　Carden；　he　declined　to　admit　that　Little　was　dead；　and　said　his　conduct　was　unpardonable；　and；　indeed；　so　nearly　resembled　madness；　that；　considering　the　young　man's　father　had　committed　suicide；　he　was　determined　never　to　admit　him　into　his　house　again　at　all　events　as　a　suitor　to　Grace。

Mr。　Coventry　had　now　taken　spacious　apartments；　and　furnished　them。　He　resumed　his　visits　to　the　club。　　Mr。　Carden　met　him　there；　and　spoke　more　confidentially　to　him　than　he　did　to　his　daughter；　and　admitted　he　had　grave　doubts；　but　said　he　was　a　director　of　the　Gosshawk；　and　would　never；　either　in　public　or　private；　allow　that　Little　was　dead　unless　his　body　should　be　found　and　properly　identified。

All　this　time　there　was　a　hot　discussion　in　the　journals；　and　the　Saw…grinde