into her front parlor), “because one o’ my servants says that she heerd a strange voice in the entry, and the door shut as if somebody had gone out.  When she come into the entry to see who it was, she saw Pet hurrying into the parlor, and heerd her humming a tune.  Pet wasn’t in the habit of humming tunes; and, the servant thought that rather ’spicious.  So do I—­not of any wrong, mind you.  I wouldn’t believe that till it was proved.  But, to make a long story short, here is the note that poor Pet left on my dressin’ table.  Read it.  I—­I haven’t got my spectacles.”

The truth was, that Mrs. Crull’s eyes were filling with tears, and she could not have read the now familiar lines on that little piece of paper even with the powerful aid of her spectacles.

     Monday Evening.

     DEAR MRS. CRULL: 

Please pardon me for what I have done.  I knew you would not consent to it, and so I did not tell you.  I was afraid I should become a burden to you; though you are too good-hearted to say so.  I have a nice place, and am earning my own living honestly.  Do not try to find me, but believe I will always be good, and worthy of your love, and, some day, will repay you for all your kindness.

     With love and respect,

     PATTY MINFORD.

“A very strange note!” murmured Overtop.  “Young girls are not apt to complain of being burdens, or to take such misanthropic views of life.  There is a man’s hand in this.  That wretch, Van Quintem, jr., without a doubt.  Did you never warn Miss Minford against him?”

“Once,” said Mrs. Crull, with a faint choke in her voice.  “I had noticed his glances toward her at the inquest, and I told her he was a bad young man, and she must not allow him to speak to her in the street, and that, if he should come to my house to see her, I should shut the door in his face.”

“And what did she say to that?”

“She said all she knew about him was, that he had saved her life once.  She couldn’t forget that.  Then I showed her how improper it was in him to hide his own name from her, and what horrid holes these gambling dens was which he goes to.  I also p’inted out how unfeelin’ his conduct was to his poor old father.”

“And what did she say to all that?”

“She nodded her head, and said, ‘Yes, so it was;’ but I see, now, that all my talk didn’t make no impression on her.”

“The sum of it is,” said Overtop, “that she loves this worthless vagabond, and knew that you would not permit his visits to your house.  Therefore she has left you.”

Mrs. Crull was a woman of firmness as well as affection.  She regretted that her opposition to this young man should have been the means of driving Pet away.  But she knew that she had done what any prudent mother would have done for her own child.

“I’m sorry it has come to this,” said she; “but I did it all for the best, Heaven knows.  Gen’lemen, we must find this child.  But how?”