He and his uncle had discovered from the police in the course of the morning that Ludmilla and her mother had not gone with the circus, but had been seen embarking in the Alice Jane, a vessel bound for London.  His idea had been to hurry thither and endeavour to search out his half-sister, and rescue her; but Lance had assured him not only that it would probably be a vain quest, but that there would be full time to meet the Alice Jane by land before she could get there by sea.

To this he had yielded, but not so readily to the representation that the wisest way would be to keep out of sight; but to let Lance, as a less interested party, go and interview the van proprietor, whose direction had been sent to Clement, try to see O’Leary, and do his best to bargain for Ludmilla’s release, a matter on which all were decided, whatever might be the upshot of the question respecting Gerald.  To leave a poor girl to circus training, even if there were no interest in her, would have been shocking to right-minded people; but when it was such a circus as O’Leary’s, and the maiden was so good, sweet, and modest as Lida, the thought would have been intolerable even without the connection with Gerald, who had been much taken with all he had seen of her.

“That is fixed, even if we have to bid high for our Mona,” said Lance.

“By all means,” said Geraldine.  “It will be another question what will be good for her when we have got her.”

“I will take care of that!” said Gerald.

“Next,” Lance went on, “we must see what proofs, or if there be any, of this person’s story.  I expect one of you will have to pay well for them, but I had better take a lawyer with me.”

Clement named the solicitor who had the charge of the Vanderkist affairs.

“Better than Staples, or Bramshaw & Anderson.  Yes, it would be best to have no previous knowledge of the family, and no neighbourly acquaintance.  Moreover, I am not exactly an interested party, so I may be better attended to.”

“Still I very much doubt, even if you do get any statement from the woman, whether it can be depended upon without verification,” said Clement.

“From the registers, if there are any at these places?”

“Exactly, and there must be personal inquiry.  The first husband, Gian Benista, will have to be hunted down, dead or alive.”

“Yes; and another thing,” said Lance, “if the Italian marriage were before the revolution in Sicily, I expect the ecclesiastical ceremony would be valid, but after that, the civil marriage would be required.”

“Oh!” groaned Gerald, “if you would let me throw it all up without these wretched quibbles.”

“Not your father’s honour,” said his aunt.

“Nor our honesty,” said Clement.  “It is galling enough to have your whole position in life depend on the word of a worthless woman, but there are things that must be taken patiently, as the will of One who knows.”