"Hang it, what a bother! I hate magistrates, and all belonging to them.
Well, I must breakfast! I'll see to it afterwards. Oblige me by not
calling Mr. Waife a villain; good old fellow in his way."

"Good! Powers above!"

"But if he took her off, how did he get at her? It must have been
preconcerted."

"Ha! true. But she has not been suffered to speak to a soul not in the
company, Mrs. Crane excepted."

"Perhaps at the performance last night some signal was given?"

"But if Waife had been there I should have seen him; my troupe would have
known him: such a remarkable face; one eye too."

"Well, well, do what you think best. I'll call on you after breakfast;
let me go now. Basta! Basta!"

Losely wrenched himself from the manager, and strode off to the inn;
then, ere joining Poole, he sought Mrs. Crane. "This going before a
magistrate," said Losely, "to depose that I have made over my child to
that blackguard showman--in this town too, after such luck as I have had
and where bright prospects are opening on me--is most disagreeable. And
supposing, when we have traced Sophy, she should be really with the old
man; awkward! In short, my dear friend, my dear Bella," (Losely could be
very coaxing when it was worth his while) "you just manage this for me.
I have a fellow in the next room waiting to breakfast: as soon as