"And this brother cannot help us?"

"On the contrary, he sought information from me; he is a
savage, beneath even our worst ideas of popular degradation.
All that is ascertained is that our man exists and is well to
do in the world. There comes an annual and anonymous
contribution, and not a light one, to his brother. I examined
the post-marks of the letters, but they all varied, and were
evidently arranged to mislead. I fear you will deem I have
not done much; yet it was wearisome enough I can tell you."

"I doubt it not; and I am sure Stephen, you have done all that
man could. I was fancying that I should hear from you to-day;
for what think you has happened? My Lord himself, his family
and train, have all been in state to visit the works, and I
had to show them. Queer that, wasn't it? He offered me money
when it was over. How much I know not, I would not look at
it. Though to be sure, they were perhaps my own rents, eh?
But I pointed to the sick box and his own dainty hand
deposited the sum there."

"'Tis very strange. And you were with him face to face?"

"Face to face. Had you brought me news of the papers, I
should have thought that providence had rather a hand in it--
but now, we are still at sea."

"Still at sea," said Morley musingly, "but he lives and
prospers. He will turn up yet, Walter."