Mrs. Crane surveyed Jasper's face deliberately. It is strange how much
more readily women read the thoughts of men than men detect those of
women. "You know where the child is," said she, slowly.

"Well, I take it for granted she is with the old man; and I have seen
him,--seen him yesterday."

"Go on; you saw him,--where?"

"Near London Bridge."

"What business could you possibly have in that direction? Ah! I guess,
the railway station to Dover: you are going abroad?"

"No such thing; you are so horribly suspicious. But it is true I had
been to the station inquiring after some luggage or parcels which a
friend of mine had ordered to be left there; now, don't interrupt me.
At the foot of the bridge I caught a sudden glimpse of the old man,--
changed, altered, aged, one eye lost. You had said I should not know him
again, but I did; I should never have recognized his face. I knew him by
the build of the shoulder, a certain turn of the arms, I don't know what;
one knows a man familiar to one from birth without seeing his face. Oh,
Bella; I declare that I felt as soft,--as soft as the silliest muff who
ever--" Jasper did not complete his comparison, but paused a moment,
breathing hard, and then broke into another sentence. "He was selling
something in a basket,--matches, boot-straps, deuce knows what. He! a
clever man too! I should have liked to drop into that d----d basket all
the money I had about me."