“Nantes?”

“Yes, uncle.  Nantes.  That’s it.”

“When you get to Nantes, then, you may tell your friends about seeing me.”

Through the fog a policeman loomed in view, coming leisurely down the quiet street.

“I must go,” Mr. Mayo said hurriedly.  “Good-by, Nancy pet.”

Anne caught his hand in both of hers.  “Oh, uncle!” she cried.  “Don’t go.  I want you.  I want to go with you.”

“Dear little one!  What a fool I was! oh, what a fool!  Good-by!”

He kissed her and was gone.  Anne stood motionless, silent, looking after him as he hurried down a by-street.

“Did ’ee beg off you, my little leddy?” asked the friendly policeman, as he came up. “’As that dirty fellow frighted you?”

“Oh, no.  He didn’t beg.  I am not frightened,” Anne answered quickly.  “I’m going home now.”

“If so be folks worrit you on the streets, a’lays holler for a cop,” said the guardian of the peace.  “We’ll take care of you.  That’s what we’re here for.  And I’ve chillen of me own and a’lays look out partic’lar for the little ones.”

“Thank you, thank you!  Good-by.”

Anne’s disturbed looks would have excited comment, had her friends not been occupied with troubles of their own.  The doctor in his visit that afternoon had urged Miss Drayton to go to Paris as soon as possible and put Mrs. Patterson under charge of the physician whom he had before recommended.

“If any one can help her, he is the man,” said Dr. Foster.

“‘If!’ Is it so serious?” faltered Miss Drayton.

The doctor hesitated.  Then he said:  “We must hope for the best.  Your sister may get on nicely.”

“Is her throat worse?” asked Miss Drayton.

“I—­er-r—­I prefer to have you consult Dr. La Farge,” replied the doctor.

It was resolved, then, to go to Paris at once.  While Miss Drayton was packing, the American mail came in, and brought a letter from New York police headquarters.  The officer, whose interest in the case had led him to push his inquiries as far as possible, wrote at length.  In the investigation of the Stuyvesant Trust Company, accused of violating the Anti-Trust Law, certain business papers had been secured which proved that Mr. Carey Mayo had taken trust funds, speculated in cotton futures, lost heavily during a panic, and covered his misuse of the company’s funds by falsifying his accounts.  Evidently it had been a mere speculation not a deliberate theft.  Mr. Mayo had been refunding larger or smaller sums month by month for a year.  Had it not been for this investigation of the company’s affairs, he might and probably would have replaced the whole amount and his guilt would never have been known.  When the investigation began, he made hasty plans to escape to Europe with his niece.  Being informed that he was about to be arrested, he left the child on the steamer, as we know, and escaped—­to Canada, the police thought.