’Mr. Prothero, I am very sorry for you; for Netta; for all.  But if this is true, the sin and the shame will rest with him who caused them—­it cannot fall on you or yours.’

Rowland shook the offered hand, and then left the room.

In the hall he met Gladys, who had just come in from the school.  Frisk was barking and jumping about her with great animation, not having grown, as Freda foretold, a useless and fat London dog.  When Rowland appeared, he transferred his attentions to him, and looked much disappointed at receiving none in return.

Rowland shook hands with Gladys, and asked her to come with him into Mr Jones’ little study, where he told her, more clearly than he had told Miss Gwynne, what he knew of Howel and Netta.

He said that he had been to their house the previous day in the afternoon, and had found it occupied by sheriffs’ officers and policemen, who were trying, in vain, to ascertain from the servants where their master and mistress were.  All that they knew was that their master did not sleep in the house the previous night, and that their mistress left it that morning.  Rowland had waited until late at night, but no further intelligence was gained.

He gleaned that Howel was accused of having forged cheques, at different times, to a very large amount, in the names both of Sir Samuel Spendall and Sir Horatio Simpson.  The frauds had been discovered through a cheque on the latter’s bank, purporting to be written by him for five hundred pounds, received by Howel a few weeks before.  Sir Horatio Simpson having gone himself to his bankers for some money, it was found that he had overdrawn his account, and, upon examining his late cheques, he utterly disclaimed that of Howel, and declared it forged.  The result of this was a general examination of his banking accounts for the last four years, and the discovery of forgeries, by alteration of figures and forged signatures, to the amount of some five or six thousand pounds.

At the same time Sir Samuel Spendall’s attorneys found, from a rigid examination of that baronet’s affairs, that Howel’s claim on him did not amount to two-thirds of his demand, and that various signatures to betting debts, and loans of money, etc., were forgeries.

In addition to this, Howel’s own debts, both on the turf and to his tradesmen, were enormous, and ignominy surrounded him on all sides.

Rowland groaned aloud as he told Gladys these horrible truths, and Gladys had no words of comfort; all she could say was,—­

’It is not poor Netta’s fault; it is not yours, Mr Rowland, or that of any one belonging to you.’

‘But the shame, Gladys; you know my father, it will be his death.’

’Oh no, sir, he always expected something of the kind.  I have often heard him say so.  If we could only find Mrs Jenkins and her child it would not be so bad.’

Mr Jones came in, and Gladys left the room and went to Miss Gwynne.