There was another fit of sobbing heard, for grimy-faced Elizabeth rushed forward, plumped down beside the boy, and took his head to her breast, to rock him to and fro.

"Poor boy!" said Rich softly, and she took his hand.

The touch was like magic; for Bob lifted up his dirty tearful face, all smiles.

"It's all right, Miss; I'm on'y a bit upset. Only let me get into the surgery again, and I knows what to take to put me right."

"Can you tell us any more, my lad?" said Mark kindly.

"Course I can, sir; not much, though, for I dunno what come over me. I see them two a-lying about, and as something horrid was the matter, and I come over all wet and sick; and then I don't remember any more till I seemed to wake up with a headache, and couldn't make out what it all meant; and when I could I lifted up the box-lid, and put out my hand, and felt to try if it was fancy. But there was the doctor lying on his face, and though all was very quiet, I knowed the other dead un must be in the 'sulting-room, and I lay there 'fraid to move, and all of a pruspiration."

"Did you hear anything else?" said Rich eagerly.

"Yes, Miss; I heared the window broke, and you come, and the perliceman, and I heared all you said; but I dursn't move, for fear the perlicemen should think I did it--the perlice is such wunners, you know; and last of all, I hears the perliceman begin hunting about, and I got scared again, and tried to hide; and jus' as I picks up that there white skull, and was trying whether I couldn't get lower, he opens the lid, and bangs it down."

"Should you know the men again?" asked Mark eagerly.

"Dunno, sir. You see it was all foggy like, and they was wropped up; but I should know 'em if I heerd 'em speak."

Mark uttered an ejaculation full of disappointment, and signed to the boy to go on.

"Well, sir, that's all; only I waited till no one was there; and then I lifted the lid and crep out of the box; and it was very horrid, for there was the dead chap in the nex' room, and I kep' thinking he'd come after me, or them others would; and I was that scared, I crawled along the passage, and down-stairs, and then sat and shivered, list'ning to you folks talking, and something in my head going buzz."

"Why did you not come to us?" said Rich kindly.

"I did want to, Miss, but I dursn't. I was 'fraid 'bout what you'd say; and there was the perliceman too, and I'd no business to be there. I d'know, only I was very frightened, and didn't hardly know what I did.

I never see anybody dead afore."

"Well, what did you do then?"

"Waited a bit, Miss, and then I got out in the area, nipped over the rails, and went home and told mother."

"But one minute," cried Mark, pressing his hand to his breast; "did you--did you hear anything said about--about diamonds?"

"Yes," cried the boy. "I heared one on 'em say, 'Be cool, and the diamonds are ours.'"

Mark uttered a groan. His last hope was crushed; and the boy went on:

"Mother said she know'd no good ud come of my being at a doctor's, and that it all meant body-snatching and 'section, and that I shouldn't get into trouble for no one. She said if I stopped I should be took up by the perlice; and I was scared enough, and did as she said, and she took me with her down in the country."

"In the country?" cried Hendon. "Where did you go?"

"I d'know," said the boy. "Everywhere's, I think. Tramping about, and sleeping in workusses; and it's been very cold and mis'able, and I'm very fond o' the old woman; only somehow--"

"Well, Bob, why do you stop?" said Hendon.

"Dunno, sir," said the boy, looking very hard at Rich's white hand. "I wouldn't ha' done it, on'y she was took bad, and they put her in one of the workas 'firmaries, and wouldn't let me stop along with her. They shoved me in a school as was all whitewash, with a lot more boys; and I got in a row with some on 'em, and we had a fight, and the master caned me, and I hooked it; and please, Miss, mayn't I stay?"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

A JAR WRONGLY LABELLED.

James Poynter blustered and threatened; but the only proceedings he took were the sending of threatening letters to Hendon--letters which Mark advised him to throw into the fire.

"Wait," said the latter one evening, "and let him develop his attack; we should only weaken ourselves by going out to meet him."

"But if he really has claims on my father, and seizes this place?"

"Then, my lad, you and I must set to, and see if it is not possible for us to join hands and get together another home for your father and sister--one, perhaps, that, if small, might be made happy till I came back."

"Came back?" said Janet, who had accompanied her brother to the doctor's that evening.

"Yes, dear," said Mark. "I have not said a word to a soul; but I'm going back to the Cape by the next boat."

"To try your luck again?" said Hendon quickly.

"To try my luck again," replied Mark; and he glanced at Rich, who was seated at work with Janet, while the doctor looked on, and smiled placidly at both in turn.

Rich turned very pale; but she did not speak.

"I have no prospects here," continued Mark; "and out yonder I have faith in making some progress. I shall tempt my fate again."

"And if I could only feel sure that those we left behind would be safe,"

cried Hendon, "I'd go with you."

Janet's eyes lit up, and it was a look more of encouragement than blame which she directed at her lover.

"You, Hendon?" said Mark, smiling.

"Yes; I want to get away, and begin differently. I'm--there, look here, Mark Heath; with a strong-minded chap like you, I know I could get on, doctoring or diamond-digging, or something of that kind. Hallo, what is it?"

"Letter, sir."

"Letter? Why didn't the boy bring it up?"

"He's a-dusting the surgery, sir," replied the maid, who seemed to have been engaged upon some cleansing business in which she had been worsted.

"For you, Hendon," said Rich, who had taken the letter. "Is it from the hospital?"

"No, it isn't from the hospital," said Hendon quietly, as he knit his brow over the correctly-written formal letter, in which a firm of solicitors respectfully informed him that unless certain sums due on dishonoured bills were paid to them in a specified time, they were instructed by their client, Mr James Poynter, to take immediate proceedings for the recovery of the debt.

"Mark, old chap, the attack has begun;" and Hendon handed the letter to the former, who read it through.

"Let's go down-stairs," he said. "I want to talk to you."

"Is anything wrong?" said Janet anxiously.