"No, don't!" he said with an expression of the deepest pain; "you continue your search in your own way, child. Don't mind about me or anybody else, least of all that—that meddlesome Dexter."
"I was going to tell you some of the information I learned yesterday, uncle."
"No, no! no, no! I don't want to hear it—that is, not now. Forgive me, child; I am disturbed by business matters and cannot attend to it now. This evening if you like. Good-by."
He hastened from the room, more agitated than when he had come in.
"It's a shame," said Clara, bitterly, "that any one who is in trouble has to annoy all those who are near to her."
"I wouldn't think of it that way, dear," responded Louise; "papa is as sympathetic as can be, and I am sure that when he gets over his anger at this Mr. Dexter's interference, there will be nothing to regret. He said himself, you know, that he would talk with you this evening."
"I hope I shall have something definite to tell him then," said Clara. "Will you go downtown with me again this afternoon?"
Of course she would, and in due time, therefore, the young ladies were again at police headquarters. Detective Bowker was evidently highly pleased with himself, although he manfully tried to suppress any signs of triumph.
"I called at your house this forenoon, Miss Hilman," he said, "to inform you that the driver of the closed carriage has been found."
"What does he say?" asked Clara eagerly.