“But you know he has resolved to keep us in ignorance of his abode, and all about himself.”
“Yes, he meant it when he wrote; but when he’s so hard up as to be near starving, perhaps he’ll change his mind.”
“How then would you propose to proceed?” asked Sir Thomas.
The superintendent thought for half a minute, and then said,—
“Have you a photograph of your son with you?”
“I have,” said the poor mother. She took it out of her pocket-book, and handed it to the officer. He looked at it very carefully for some time, and then said,—
“I suppose he must be a little older looking than this.”
“Yes, surely,” was the reply, “for it was taken three years ago, before he went out to Australia.”
“I must ask you then to spare it me for a few days, as it may help us materially.”
“And how soon may we hope to hear anything from you?”