“Then now’s your time, Richard.  Good-night.”

He stole upstairs after Joyce, who piloted him through the room of Miss Carlyle.  Nothing could be seen of that lady, though something might be heard, one given to truth more than politeness might have called it snoring.  Joyce showed Richard his chamber, gave him the candle, and closed the door upon him.

Poor hunted Richard, good-night to you.

CHAPTER XXX.

BARBARA’S HEART AT REST.

Morning dawned.  The same dull weather, the same heavy fall of snow.  Miss Carlyle took her breakfast in bed, an indulgence she had not favored for ever so many years.  Richard Hare rose, but remained in his chamber, and Joyce carried his breakfast in to him.

Mr. Carlyle entered whilst he was taking it.  “How did you sleep, Richard?”

“I slept well.  I was so dead tired.  What am I to do next, Mr. Carlyle?  The sooner I get away from here the better.  I can’t feel safe.”

“You must not think of it before evening.  I am aware that you cannot remain here, save for a few temporary hours, as it would inevitably become known to the servants.  You say you think of going to Liverpool or Manchester?”

“To any large town; they are all alike to me; but one pursued as I am is safer in a large place than a small one.”

“I am inclined to think that this man, Thorn, only made a show of threatening you, Richard.  If he be really the guilty party, his policy must be to keep all in quietness.  The very worst thing that could happen for him, would be your arrest.”

“Then why molest me?  Why send an officer to dodge me?”

“He did not like your molesting him, and he thought he would probably frighten you.  After that day you would probably have seen no more of the officer.  You may depend upon one thing, Richard, had the policeman’s object been to take you, he would have done so, not have contented himself with following you about from place to place.  Besides when a detective officer is employed to watch a party, he takes care not to allow himself to be seen; now this man showed himself to you more than once.”

“Yes, there’s a good deal in all that,” observed Richard.  “For, to one in his class of life, the bare suspicion of such a crime, brought against him, would crush him forever in the eyes of his compeers.”

“It is difficult to me Richard, to believe that he is in the class of life you speak of,” observed Mr. Carlyle.

“There’s no doubt about it; there’s none indeed.  But that I did not much like to mention the name, for it can’t be a pleasant name to you, I should have said last night who I have seen him walking with,” continued simple-hearted Richard.

Mr. Carlyle looked inquiringly.  “Richard say on.”

“I have seen him, sir, with Sir Francis Levison, twice.  Once he was talking to him at the door of the betting-rooms, and once they were walking arm-in-arm.  They are apparently upon intimate terms.”