and hurried toilet, which by this time had become essential to my
reappearance in civilized society. But I was in haste to secure a parcel
of books before the cutter should start home again, with its courageous
little knot of market-people. I ran down to Barbet's, scarcely heeding
the greetings which were flung after mo by every passer-by. I looked
through the library-shelves with growing dissatisfaction, until I hit
upon two of Mrs. Gaskell's novels, "Pride and Prejudice," by Jane
Austin, and "David Copperfield." Besides these, I chose a book for
Sunday reading, as my observations upon my mother and Julia had taught
me that my patient could not read a novel on a Sunday with a quiet
conscience.

Barbet brought half a sheet of an old _Times_ to form the first cover of
my parcel. The shop was crowded with market-people, and, as he was busy,
I undertook to pack them myself, the more willingly as I had no wish for
him to know what direction I wrote upon them. I was about to fold the
newspaper round them, when my eye was caught by an advertisement at the
top of one of the columns, the first line of which was printed in
capitals. I recollected in an instant that I had seen it and read it
before. This was what I had tried in vain to recall while Tardif was
describing Miss Ollivier to me. "Strayed from her home in London, on the
20th inst., a young lady with bright-brown hair, gray eyes, and delicate
features; age twenty one. She is believed to have been alone. Was
dressed in a blue-silk dress, and seal-skin jacket and hat. Fifty pounds
reward is offered to any person giving such information as will lead to
her restoration to her friends. Apply to Messrs. Scott and Brown, Gray's
Inn Road, E.C."

I stood perfectly still for some seconds, staring blankly at the very
simple, direct advertisement under my eyes. There was not the slightest