the stairs to Mrs. Gibbs's room, found the door fast. To their fervent
and repeated knocking there was no answer.

"Ah, you won't make her 'ear," said a woman, thrusting an untidy head
over the balusters on the next landing. "She's gone."

"Gone!" exclaimed both gentlemen. "Where?"

"Canada," said the woman. "She went off this morning."

Mr. Kidd leaned up against the wall for support; Mr. Brown stood open-
mouthed and voiceless.

"It was a surprise to me," said the woman, "but she told me this morning
she's been getting ready on the quiet for the last fortnight. Good
spirits she was in, too; laughing like anything."

"Laughing!" repeated Mr. Kidd, in a terrible voice.

The woman nodded. "And when I spoke about it and reminded 'er that she
'ad only just lost 'er pore husband, I thought she would ha' burst," she
said, severely. "She sat down on that stair and laughed till the tears
ran dowwn 'er face like water."

Mr. Brown turned a bewildered face upon his partner. "Laughing!" he
said, slowly. "Wot 'ad she got to laugh at?"

"Two born-fools," replied Mr. Kidd.