the cruelty or madness of him who should have been their guardian.  Here they are, and here they shall remain till Sir Marmaduke Rowley arrives.  The other day, on the 29th of September, Colonel Osborne, who is their father’s old friend, called, not on them, but on me.  I may truly say that I did not wish to see Colonel Osborne.  They did not see him, nor did he ask to see them.  If his coming was a fault, and I think it was a fault, they were not implicated in it.  He came, remained a few minutes, and went without seeing any one but myself.  That is the history of Colonel Osborne’s visit to my house.

I have not thought fit to show your letter to your wife, or to make her acquainted with this further proof of your want of reason.  As to the threats which you hold out of removing her child from her, you can of course do nothing except by law.  I do not think that even you will be sufficiently audacious to take any steps of that description.  Whatever protection the law may give her and her child from your tyranny and misconduct cannot be obtained till her father shall be here.

I have only further to request that you will not address any further communication to me.  Should you do so, it will be refused.

Yours, in deep indignation,

Oliphant Outhouse.’

Trevelyan had also written two other letters to England, one to Mr Bideawhile, and the other to Bozzle.  In the former he acquainted the lawyer that he had discovered that his wife still maintained her intercourse with Colonel Osborne, and that he must therefore remove his child from her custody.  He then inquired what steps would be necessary to enable him to obtain possession of his little boy.  In the letter to Bozzle he sent a cheque, and his thanks for the ex-policeman’s watchful care.  He desired Bozzle to continue his precautions, and explained his intentions about his son.  Being somewhat afraid that Mr Bideawhile might not be zealous on his behalf, and not himself understanding accurately the extent of his power with regard to his own child, or the means whereby he might exercise it, he was anxious to obtain assistance from Bozzle also on this point; he had no doubt that Bozzle knew all about it.  He had great confidence in Bozzle.  But still he did not like to consult the ex policeman.  He knew that it became him to have some regard for his own dignity.  He therefore put the matter very astutely to Bozzle asking no questions, but alluding to his difficulty in a way that would enable Bozzle to offer advice.

And where was he to get a woman to take charge of his child?  If Lady Milborough would do it, how great would be the comfort!  But he was almost sure that Lady Milborough would not do it.  All his friends had turned against him, and Lady Milborough among the number.  There was nobody left to him, but Bozzle.  Could he entrust Bozzle to find some woman for him who would take adequate charge of the little fellow, till he himself could see to the child’s education?  He did not put this question to Bozzle in plain terms; but he was very astute, and wrote in such a fashion that Bozzle could make a proposal, if any proposal were within his power.