"To be sure! How strange that I should have forgotten it!" exclaimed Mr. Hollys. "The child is right. Robert Harvey was the name I advertised so freely, and without result. We came to the conclusion that he was dead. Surely this man cannot be Coral's uncle!"
Little Coral uttered a startled cry, and looked frightened at the suggestion.
"Mrs. Despard said that he had gone to Australia," remarked Beryl.
"Yes, she did," replied her father; "but Australia is a large place, Beryl, and there might easily be more than one Robert Harvey there. However, I will try to find this man. Do you know his address, Gilbank?"
"Yes, no; they have it at the Academy; but I omitted to take it down; I am so careless in regard to these matters. But I will get it, and send it to you."
"Thank you," said Mr. Hollys; "I had better call on him, though I do not at all expect to find that he is Coral's relative."
The children were so eager to talk to Mr. Gilbank and examine his pretty things, that Mr. Hollys was persuaded to leave them with the artist for a little time whilst he went to his club. Mrs. Campbell drove away to do some shopping in Regent Street, so Coral and Beryl, greatly to their delight, were left alone with their friend. They had so much to tell him, and talked so fast, that Mr. Gilbank did not find it easy to understand them, as they told him what a good angel Miss Burton had proved to them, of the Sunday school they had started at Egloshayle, and of their labours at the Dorcas meeting.
At last Mr. Gilbank put a question that made Beryl pause.
"So you still strive to live as 'children of the kingdom,'" he said gently; "I am glad to know that."
Beryl's cheeks flushed, and she hung her head. She suddenly became aware that she had thought little of the kingdom since she came to London. She had indeed daily uttered the petition, "Thy kingdom come," but with scarce a thought about the meaning of the words. Amid the excitements of her new life she had found no time for reading the Saviour's words, and thinking upon His blessed life. And meanwhile there had been springing up in her heart anger and hatred and strong self-will.