“Him, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Lyon, Lord Killchristians, as they call him over here. Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Oh, me! Oh, little Lenny!”
“His father!” exclaimed Drusilla, in a half suppressed tone. And she breathed somewhat more freely; for she felt that if Lenny were with his father, the child was in no immediate personal danger—nay more, that his detention was but temporary; that he would soon be restored to her again. She thought that her husband might have ceased to love her, but she knew that he never would deliberately do the deadly wrong of tearing her child from her. Still she was intensely anxious to hear the details of the abduction; but she was also extremely unwilling to admit strangers to a participation of the intelligence that involved so much of her private history and domestic sorrows.
All these thoughts and feelings passed rapidly through her mind, while Pina was giving her answer, so when the policeman would have continued the examination by asking:
“Who was at the bottom of it, did you say, young woman? did you say a gentleman and—a lord? How was that? And what lord was it?”
“Lord Killchristians! Mr. Alexander Lyon as used to was, and a notorious willyun too! and the child’s own——”
Here Drusilla broke into the conversation:
“Officer, these are private matters. I thank you very much for having brought this poor girl safely home, and I hope you will accept this trifle in payment,” she added, placing a sovereign in his hand. “You may leave us now. We will examine this girl, and if we find that your services should be required in the search, we will send for you; or you can call here in the course of an hour.”
“Thank you, my lady. I will call and see if I am wanted at the time you say,” answered the policeman, lifting his hand to his head by way of salute, and then leaving the room, followed by the waiter.
“Now then, Pina, you say that little Lenny’s father has got him?” said Drusilla, trembling with excess of emotion, yet still striving to keep calm.
“Yes, ma’am, I suppose he has by this time,” sobbed the girl.