"You ought to rest. Will
you go to Mrs. Acton or Mrs. Lucas, while I run down to Wakefield's
office and find out about them?"
"To Miss Ray's, I think," she said faintly. "Nita may know their
plans. Here's the address," taking a little book from her pocket,
and ruffling over the leaves, "you must find it. I can't see. O,
but I can walk!" as he hailed a cab, and helped her into it, finding
the address and jumping after her, while she sank back in the corner.
Very small and shrunken did she look when he took her out at the door
leading to rooms over a stationer's shop. The sisters were somewhat
better off than formerly, though good old Miss Ray was half ashamed
of it, since it was chiefly owing to the liberal allowance from Mrs.
Brownlow for the chaperonage in which she felt herself to have so
sadly failed.
Jock saw his mother safe in the hands of the kind old lady, heard
that the pair were really gone, and departed for his interview with
Mr. Wakefield. No sooner had the papers been signed, and the ?500
made over to them, than the Hermanns had hurried away a fortnight
earlier than they had spoken of going. It was much like an escape
from creditors, but the reason assigned was an invitation to lecture
in New York.
So there was nothing for it but to put up with Miss Ray's account of
Janet, and even that was second-hand, for the gentle spirit of the
good old lady had been so roused at the treachery of the stolen
marriage that she had refused to see the couple, and when Nita had
once brought them in, she had retired to her bedroom.
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