The two shook hands, and Canon Lenthal left Broxbridge in much better spirits than when he entered.
Mr. Chicknell, the earl’s lawyer, who had been telegraphed for, arrived about noon on the following day.
He was at once shown into the library. Lord Ethalwood had by this time become excited and restless. He explained the whole business to his legal adviser.
“Oh,” observed the latter, when his client had concluded. “You now desire to find her out?”
“If it be possible. It seems to me to be most hopeless.”
“Nothing is hopeless in the hands of efficient persons,” returned the man of parchment. “Leave the matter in my hands. I know a clever fellow belonging to the detective department at Scotland-yard.”
“Detective department!” exclaimed the earl, in evident disgust. “Is my daughter to be traced by a man whose business it is to hunt down common thieves?”
“My lord, I pray of you not to be so hasty. Detectives are employed by all sorts of people for all sorts of purposes, and for this reason they are especially qualified to deal with cases of this sort. They’ll find out in a week probably more than I could in months.”
“Well, as you please. You know best.”
“I will do my best for you, rest assured of that,” said Mr. Chicknell. “The very moment I obtain the least scrap of information I will either write or wire to you without delay.”