Melted by this sad thought, he held his best friend’s hand till a warm tear dropped on it.  That softened her; the hand to which he owed so much closed on his and detained him.

“Stay where you are.  I have told you my mind, but I shall act just as I used to do.  I’m not proud of this spite I have taken against you, don’t you fancy that.  There—­there, don’t let us fret about what can’t be helped; but just tell me what I can do for you.”

Young Little felt rather humiliated at assistance being offered on these terms.  He did not disguise his mortification.

“Well,” said he, rather sullenly, “beggars must not be choosers.  Of course I wanted you to tell me where I am likely to find her.”

“I don’t know.”

“But you left Hillsborough with her?”

“Yes, and went to York.  But there I left her, and she told me she should travel hundreds of miles from York.  I have no notion where she is.”

Little sighed.  “She could not trust even you.”

“The fewer one trusts with a secret the better.”

“Will she never return?  Will she give up her father as well as me?  Did she fix no time?  Did she give you no hint?”

“No, not that I remember.  She said that depended on you.”

“On me?”

“Yes.”

Here was an enigma.

They puzzled over it a long time.  At last Jael said, “She wrote a letter to you before she left:  did she say nothing in that?  Have you got the letter?”

“Have I got it?—­the last letter my darling ever wrote to me!  Do you think it ever leaves me night or day?”

He undid one of his studs, put his hand inside, and drew the letter out warm from his breast.  He kissed it and gave it to Jael.  She read it carefully and looked surprised.  “Why, you are making your own difficulties.  You have only got to do what you are told.  Promise not to fall foul of that Coventry, and not to tempt her again, and you will hear of her.  You have her own word for it.”

“But how am I to let her know I promise?”

“I don’t know; how does everybody let everybody know things nowadays?  They advertise.”

“Of course they do—­in the second column of ‘The Times.’”

“You know best.”  Then, after a moment’s reflection, “Wherever she is, she takes in the Hillsborough papers to see if there’s anything about you in them.”

“Oh, do you think so?”

“Think so?  I am sure of it.  I put myself in her place.”

“Then I will advertise in ‘The Times’ and the Hillsborough papers.”

He went into the library and wrote several advertisements.  This is the one Jael preferred: 

“H.  L. to G. C. I see you are right.  There shall be no vengeance except what the law may give me, nor will I ever renew that request which offended you so justly.  I will be patient.”

He had added an entreaty that she would communicate with him, but this Jael made him strike out.  She thought that might make Grace suspect his sincerity.  “Time enough to put that in a month hence, if you don’t hear from her.”