Then Salome tried to soothe her; but what could she say to comfort her? They sat and cried together, and the clock in the belfry chimed the hours unheeded.
At last Juliet asked, "How did you know I was here, Salome?"
"It was wonderful how easily I found you," said Salome. "We did not know how to act at first, and mother was so ill on Thursday night that we could not leave her. But on the following day, she kept imploring that one of us would go and fetch you home. She did not seem to realise that we did not know where you were. Then we saw in the paper that Algernon Chalcombe had been arrested in Paris, so we thought you might be there. I said I would go to Paris, but I did not know at all how to manage,—you know we are no travellers,—so I started off to ask Mrs. Hayes, because she had been lately in Paris. Well, it was most providential; I had not gone far when I met Mr. Mainprice."
A hot, painful blush suddenly dyed Juliet's pale face; but her sister did not observe it as she went on speaking.
"He had heard of our trouble, and he spoke to me about you—so kindly. I asked him what I should do, and he said that he had a sister who was a helper in a home for English governesses and working women in Paris, and that he would send me to her. She would know, he said, how best I should set to work to find you. I must get ready to start that evening, and he would see me off, and would telegraph to his sister to meet me on my arrival in Paris. Oh, I cannot tell you how good he was."
Juliet's face was perfectly colourless now, and wore a strange, set look.
So I started last evening from Cannon Street, and arrived here very early this morning. Early as it was, Miss Mainprice met me. I was dreadfully tired, for I could not sleep in the train, and she would not let me tell her much till I had rested a while. She took me to the home, and I lay down there, and slept for some hours. Then she brought me some luncheon, and while I ate it, we talked. She asked me to describe you to her, and when I did so she exclaimed,—
"Ah, then I have seen her! I spoke to her the other day. I believe she is at the Hotel Rome."
"Ah," exclaimed Juliet, suddenly recalling the lady who had spoken to her in the street, "then that was his sister! To be sure!" The haunting sense of resemblance was explained now.
"Of course, after that, I could not rest till I saw you, and Miss Mainprice brought me here at once. And that reminds me, she said that if I did not at once return, she should conclude all was well, and she would come in the evening, and take us both back to stay at the home. So, if you feel well enough for the move, we had better begin at once to get ready."