a hotel; and she must be of some importance that a handsome reward is offered. It must be very amusing to the young lady, if she happens to see this, to know that she has good sense."
"If she has good sense," I said, "she must be very thoughtless also to cause so much grief and anxiety: I wonder you don't see that."
"Maybe she had a grievance, and did not think there would be much anxiety about her."
"That's very likely, but I hope when she finds she is mistaken she'll have the good sense to go home. Do you see the other advertisement? Will that refer to the same young lady, think you? Read J. H.'s appeal."
"J. H.?—where?" she said hurriedly, and went to the window and read the lines of J. H. She stood a good while looking from the window, with her back to me.
"Well," I said, "are the young ladies one and the same, do you think?"
"It may be, it looks something like it; but these words of J. H.'s have love and anxiety in them: you feel it. The other advertisement has not—not a particle."
"I can't see that from merely reading the advertisements."
I had my own thoughts, and so no doubt had my inmate. I bundled up my thirty-seven letters, not to be answered in the mean time, but in the course of the day I wrote to the D.'s, whoever they might be. I sympathized with them, if Miss Christy December did not, and I asked if they would forward to me the carte of the young lady they were in search of, as it was possible I might be able to give them a clue to her.
IV.
We were sitting at breakfast the second day after the advertisements, when Margaret came in with the letters. One I felt sure contained the carte: it I put into my pocket to examine when alone. Another I opened was a new series of "homes" offered to me; indeed, there was a running fire of these offers for more than a week. If I had been a monstrous regiment of women, we could all have got billets. I had a feeling of guilt in having caused so many people so much trouble for no end: not knowing what I was doing, I had touched, as I thought, an insignificant tap, and lo, a deluge!
Next I took up the newspaper, and glanced first at the enigmatical notices. I said, "Ah! J. H. has got his anxiety relieved by this time: at least I fancy this is in answer to the 'J. H.' of the day before yesterday."
"What does it say?" she asked.
" It is short, but to the point: 'To J. H.: M. B. is safe.'"
"Well, that is satisfactory. I thought J. H. deserved an answer, his appeal had such a genuine ring."
"I must say you have a discerning spirit."
"Ah, one does not descend from a witch for nothing!" she said laughing.
When we had finished our meal I retired to examine my packet, and as I looked at the outside and scanned the post-mark and the feminine handwriting—rather feeble, but very careful and somewhat elegant—in which it was addressed, I understood to the full the sharp joy of the detective when he thinks he has got a clue in his grasp. Well, I opened it, and there without doubt was the form and face of my guest. Enclosed with it was a note:
"The Misses Douglas appreciate the confidence reposed in them by Miss Cowan, and beg to reciprocate it by forwarding to her the carte of their young friend. Should Miss Cowan find that she is correct in her suspicions, would she be so good as to telegraph to the Misses Douglas at once?
"Athelford Lodge, Athelford,
December 29, 18—."
I sat down to consider the matter. This girl was no impostor, then: she was of consequence to some persons, and she had run away. Why had she run away? She had thrown herself on my protection, she had found the road to my heart, and I was not inclined to give her up without inquiry. Who were the Misses Douglas? In what connection did they stand to her?
The quickest and simplest plan would
