I knew, from your account, that he was pretty safely settled, if I didn't give him a frighb, and it suited my book much better I

to leave him, to all appearances, free as air, and to watch him until I caught him in the act of communicating, with the party I was after.'

' And have you ?' asked Herberb, eagerly. 'Well, bhat's whab gebs me,' answered Mr Wenlock, with considerable vexation. 4 1 haven't; I thought my course would be plain sailing after that discovery, but I was jolly well mistaken. Not a sign ot any kind has passed between bhem. Mr Pelew receives no letbers, and wribes none. Nob a note, message or telegram could have left or entered bhab house wibhout my hearing of He lives the life of a hermit, has neither friends nor relatives that I can find, and goes nowhere excepb bo the college, the Purfleets and here. In short, I'm just. as wise at this blessed moment as I was that evening.'

' I presume from your intimate acquaint ance with his proceedings that you have watched him.'

' Why, of course I have. Like a hawk.'

Herbert had it in his mind to inquire whether Pelew's visit to the Purfleets were of conspicuous frequency, but, angry and grieved as he was ab Gladys' bebrayal of himself, he put away such a means of en lightenment as unworthy of a genbleman. ' Well, whab do you propose to do next ?' he asked, sympathising with Wenlock's annoyance. 'Just what I've been doing all along," he replied, wibh decision. ' Waib and watch.'

• Well—bub—Mr Wenlock,' said Herberb, awkwardly, 'of course ib will seem ridicu lous, if nob impertinent, to a man of your remarkable penetration that a blind bat like myself should presume to offer you any advice, but suppose you are wrong, not in your details, bub in your main conjecture, and that after all Professor Purfleeb has been—'

•Made away with?' concluded Mr Wen lock, as Herberb hesibated. ' No, sir. Thab is quite impossible. I bold you the reasons againsb your bbeory some bime back, and nothing has burnod up since bo refute them. Take mv word for it, Mr Torrington, your old friend is still alive. 