"Bad? Worse than—"
"I am afraid so," answered Brett.
"You have told me that he is alive." She laid her hand upon his arm. "Do not tell me that he is here! You said you could not believe it!"
"If I do not, it is only because I have not seen him with my own eyes. I did not mean to tell you—until—" he stopped.
"Tell me!" cried Marion. "Tell me everything quickly! If you tell me—I can bear it, if you tell me—but not from any one else. Where is he? When did he come? Is he arrested again? Is he in prison?"
"No, not yet. He is in a sailors' lodging-house—if it is he."
"How do you know it? Oh, how can you be so sure, if you have not seen him?"
"None of us have seen him," answered Brett, barely able to speak at all. "Vanbrugh and Brown—they went to find him—I found Brown in Mulberry Street, waiting for news—you know the Police Headquarters are there. Vanbrugh had left him—then I came up town again—to you."
"Russell Vanbrugh has been here," said Marion, trying to collect her thoughts. "He told Cousin Annie to give strict orders about reporters."
"He was afraid that Darche might come to try and get money from you—"