Rugge, with a withering smile, "that man in a private box, which at the
Princess's costs two pounds two, and with the spoils of Ingee by his
side, lifted his eyeglass and beheld me,--me in the shilling gallery!
and his conscience did not say, 'Should we not change places if I paid
that gentleman L100?' Can such things be, and overcome us, ma'am, like a
summer cloud, without our special--I put it to you, ma'am--wonder?"

"Oh, with a lady, was he?" exclaimed Arabella Crane, her wrath, which,
while the manager spoke, gathered fast and full, bursting now into words.
"His ladies shall know the man who sells his own child for a show; only
find out where the girl is, then come here again before you stir further.
Oh, with a lady! Go to your detective policeman, or rather send him to
me; we will first discover Mr. Losely's address. I will pay all the
expenses. Rely on my zeal, Mr. Rugge."

Much comforted, the manager went his way. He had not been long gone
before Jasper himself appeared. The traitor entered with a more than
customary bravado of manner, as if he apprehended a scolding, and was
prepared to face it; but Mrs. Crane neither reproached him for his
prolonged absence, nor expressed surprise at his return. With true
feminine duplicity, she received him as if nothing had happened. Jasper,
thus relieved, became of his own accord apologetic and explanatory;
evidently he wanted something of Mrs. Crane. "The fact is, my dear
friend," said he, sinking into a chair, "that the day after I last saw
you I happened to go to the General Post Office to see if there were any
letters for me. You smile: you don't believe me. Honour bright, here
they are;" and Jasper took from the side pocket of his coat a pocket-
book, a new pocket-book, a brilliant pocket-book, fragrant Russian
leather, delicately embossed, golden clasps, silken linings, jewelled
pencil-case, malachite pen-knife,--an arsenal of knickknacks stored in