urged Felix.

"Not a line of any kind," came the answer, followed
by a sidewise movement of the gray head, as if its
owner had long since abandoned hope from that
quarter.

"Do you think anything is the matter?"

"Nothin', or I should 'a' 'eard. My notion is that
Martha kep' on to Toronto with that sick man she
nursed on the steamer. Maybe she's got work stiddy
and isn't a-goin' to come back."

"But she would have let you KNOW?" There was
a ring of anxiety now, tinged with a certain impatience.

"Perhaps she would, Mr. Felix, and perhaps she
wouldn't. Since our mother died Martha gets rather
cocky sometimes. Likes to be her own boss and earn
her own living. I've often 'eard her say it before I left
'ome, and she HAS earned it, I must say--and she's got
to, same as all of us. I suppose you been keepin' it
up same as usual--trampin' and lookin'?"

"Yes." This came as the mere stating of a fact.

"And I suppose there ain't nothin' new--no clew--
nothin' you can work on?" The speaker felt assured
there was not, but it might be an encouragement to