LOST. 243 



came in just before tea. After they had had their suppers 

 and gone to bed I saw her in the parlour alone, and when 

 I came into the room again she was gone, and she has not 

 returned, and I " 



"Oh, then she went out before the rain, did she?" 



" Yes, sir ; some time before the rain." 



''Oh, then that explains it; she was probably caught 

 out by the rain, and took shelter somewhere, and has been 

 persuaded to stay. There is nothing to be alarmed at; you 

 had better not wait up another moment." 



"But I don't like to shut her out, general; I should not 

 sleep a wink." 



"Nonsense, nonsense!" I said. "Go to bed, you silly 

 woman ; you will hear her when she comes, of course, and 

 can come down and let her in." And so saying, I retired 

 to my own room. 



The next morning at breakfast, I noticed that my land- 

 lady was looking pale and troubled, and I felt sure she had 

 spent a sleepless night. 



"Well, Mrs. Honey wold," I said, with assumed cheerful- 

 ness, as she handed my coffee to me, " how long did you 

 have to sit up ? What time did she come in ? " 



" She did not come in all night, general," said my land- 

 lady, in a troubled voice. " She has not come home yet, 

 and I am very anxious about it." 



" No need of that, I trust," I said, reassuringly ; " she 

 will come this morning, no doubt." 



" I don't know. I wish I was sure of that. I don't 

 know what to make of it. I don't understand it. She never 

 did so before. How she could have stayed out, and left those 

 two blessed little things all night — and she always seemed 

 such a tender, loving mother, too — I don't understand it." 



When I returned at dinner-time I found matters still 

 worse. She had not returned. My poor landlady was 

 almost in hysterics, though she tried hard to control herself. 



To satisfy her I set off to consult the poHce. My mission 

 was not encouraging. They promised to do their best, but 

 gave slight hopes of a successful result. 



