“Oh, auntie! I am all anxiety to begin! Do let me run down and tell the dad all about it.”
“Not so fast, my dear. If Mrs. Riddell, who has been terribly prostrated by this blow, is able to bear being left an hour or two this evening, her son will call here, by appointment with me, to consult as to what will be the best plans for us to adopt.”
“You dear old thing! You have been actually working already!”
“Certainly. The sooner we begin operating, the better chance we have of being successful, and the sooner we may hope to see Harley justified and at liberty. In fact, you need not be surprised if Hilton Riddell has already made considerable progress. And now, dear, you must make yourself a little presentable, and I expect you to partake of a substantial meal, even as I mean to do, for we must make ourselves strong if we mean to do anything useful.”
The result of Miss Margaret’s tact and management was that Annie was not nearly so downcast that evening as her father had feared she would be, and when Hilton Riddell made his appearance at eight o’clock, he found every member of the Cory family ready and willing to second all his endeavours on Harley’s behalf.
“And how did you leave your mother?” asked Miss Margaret.
“Stronger and better than I could have believed possible,” was the reply. “She is brave and hopeful, and firmly believes that I shall succeed in tracing the real delinquent. One thing troubles me a good deal about my mother. It may be necessary for me to travel, or some other contingency may arise which will render it impossible to be with her much, and I fear that, if left to herself, she may succumb to her troubles.”
“She shall not be left to herself,” cried Miss Margaret, emphasising her remarks by a vigorous shake of the handsome lace lappets which adorned her cap. “She must come and live here while you are away. That is just what you would have proposed yourself, isn’t it, John?”
“Certainly, just the very thing,” echoed John, warmly. “Sorry you got the suggestion out before I did, though. And now, Mr. Riddell, about your means and employment. Don’t think me impertinent or intrusive, but——”
“Pray don’t apologise,” said Hilton, hastily. “I will, as you so kindly take such an interest in us, explain exactly how we stand. My mother, who is an officer’s widow, has a life pension, which the vicissitudes in the career of Harley or myself cannot touch. My employers, Messrs. Treadonem and Co., have magnanimously given me my liberty, and have not been afraid to mention their true reason for discarding the services of the brother of a convict. My time, therefore, is my own, to use as I please. Needless to say, it will be used in my brother’s service. Fortunately, I have a couple of hundred pounds saved, and Harley, during the last six years, has saved a few hundreds also. He has some inkling of my intended course of procedure, and has arranged for me to draw his money, if I require it. But I hope to run my quarry to earth without encroaching upon Harley’s savings, for it will go hard with him at first, especially if he has no money to fall back upon.”