Miriam held in her hand a letter which she had taken from, and returned to her pocket, several times within the minute. In reply to Downey's question, she now put the letter hur. riedly into his hand, as she leaned forward and said,

With these words, gasped rather than spoken, Miriam threw herself back in the vehicle, the cabman flourished his whip about the horse's ears, the wheels revolved, and Downey who had clung to the cab till the last moment, would have been thrown to the ground, but for the friendly arm of the policeman.

Amid the confusion of sounds and above the rattle of wheels in that crowded thoroughfare, was heard distinctly a long, loud, shrill peal of unnatural, hysterical laughter. Downey stood as if he had been petrified-that

laugh ringing in his ears and seeming to curdle his blood. He was only restored to a consciousness of his situation, and the necessity of taking some prompt line of action, by the policeman touching him on the shoulder, and giving him that strictly professional piece of advice, so characteristic of the force, viz., to แ 'move on!"

Thrusting Miriam's letter mechanically into his pocket, Downey took the policeman's advice and-moved on!

CHAPTER III.

RELEASE OF GERALD.

THE first thing Downey did, was to call at Miriam's lodgings, hoping to learn that she had returned. He found Miss Tomlins in

great confusion and anxiety, at Miriam's strange and unaccountable absence from home. Downey said nothing to her about the scene at the opera. He professed that his visit was for Gerald. Thence he went to the Bowstreet police-station, and made a deposition of all that he knew of the affair, stating his belief that Gerald and Miriam were the victims of a conspiracy, and that Gerald had been

accused of madness, merely as a pretext to get him out of the way. The next morning he

called again on Miss Tomlins, on his way to the Paddington Station, and found her seriously alarmed; Miriam had not yet returned. While he was talking to Miss Tomlins, Mr. Covert called. On hearing him announced, a sudden idea seemed to flash through Downey's brain. He got up and pretended to be intently absorbed in one of the pictures, representing the cheerful subject of a missionary killed by savages. His back being towards the door, he was not recognized by Mr. Covert as he entered. Mr. Covert informed Miss Tomlins, with a great affectation of distress, that he had called in consequence of seeing Miriam last night at the opera, with a young gentleman. At this information Miss Tomlins' bosom began to heave, and she raised her eyes and hands in token of astonishment. In reply to her question, who was the gentleman? Mr. Covert said that he had heard his name incidentally mentioned;

Fribble. Had Miriam left the house in his company? No, Miss Tomlins said, Miriam had never received any gentleman but himself; she had left the house last evening alone. Mr. Covert remarked that this circumstance looked bad, and as if Miriam had a clandestine acquaintance. Miss Tomlins admitted that Miriam had received a good many letters, all addressed in the same hand-writing, and that she had got one the day before yesterday; but the good lady would listen to no insinuations against Miriam's character. Miriam might have been betrayed into an ambuscade, or have met with an accident, but she would stake her life on her virtue. Mr. Covert, with a hypocritical sigh, hoped it would turn out all right. In reply to Miss Tomlins' question, he assured her that he had not the slightest knowledge of where Miriam then was, or of her intention to visit the opera, which was true.

"I was in great hopes" said Miss Tomlins, with the tears in her eyes, "that you knew