the street, and hurried fast upon her way.

Bridget was not in time to restore the book to Jasper's pocket, for when
she re-entered he was turning round and stretching himself between sleep
and waking. But she dropped the book skilfully on the floor, close
beside the sofa: it would seem to him, on waking, to have fallen out of
the pocket in the natural movements of sleep.

And, in fact, when he rose, dinner now on the table, he picked up the
pocket-book without suspicion. But it was lucky that Bridget had not
waited for the opportunity suggested by her mistress. For when Jasper
put on the dressing-gown, he observed that his coat wanted brushing; and,
in giving it to the servant for that purpose, he used the precaution of
taking out the pocket-book, and placing it in some other receptacle of
his dress.

Mrs. Crane returned in less than two hours,--returned with a disappointed
look, which at once prepared Jasper for the intelligence that the birds
to be entrapped had flown.

"They went away this afternoon," said Mrs. Crane, tossing Jasper's
sovereigns on the table as if they burned her fingers. "But leave the
fugitives to me. I will find them."

Jasper relieved his angry mind by a series of guilty but meaningless
expletives; and then, seeing no further use to which Mrs. Crane's wish
could be applied at present, finished the remainder of her brandy, and
wished her good-night, with a promise to call again, but without any
intimation of his own address. As soon as he was gone, Mrs. Crane once
more summoned Bridget.