related pretty accurately what had passed between that gentleman and
himself. He then added the progress of his own inquiries, and renewed,
as peremptorily as he dared, his demand for candour and plain dealing.
Now, it so happened that in stumbling upstairs to bed, Mr. Grabman passed
the room in which his mysterious fellow-seeker was lodged, and as is the
usage in hotels, a pair of boots stood outside the door, to be cleaned
betimes in the morning. Though somewhat drunk, Grabman still preserved
the rays of his habitual astuteness. A clever and a natural idea shot
across his brain, illuminating the fumes of the brandy; he stooped, and
while one hand on the wall steadied his footing, with the other he fished
up a boot, and peering within, saw legibly written: "John Ardworth, Esq.,
Gray's Inn." At that sight he felt what a philosopher feels at the
sudden elucidation of a troublesome problem. Downstairs again tottered
Grabman, re-opened his letter, and wrote,--

"P.S.--I have wronged you, Jason, by my suspicions; never mind,--
jubilate! This interloper who made me so jealous, who think you it is?
Why, young Ardworth himself,--that is, the lad who goes by such name.
Now, is it not clear? Of course no one else has such interest in
learning his birth as the lost child himself,--here he is! If old
Ardworth lives (as he says), old Ardworth has set him to work on his own
business. But then, that Fielden,--rather a puzzler that! Yet--no. Now
I understand,--old Ardworth gave the boy to Mrs. Joplin, and took it away
from her again when he went to the parson's. Now, certainly, it may be
quite necessary to prove,--first, that the boy he took from Mr.
Braddell's he gave to Mrs. Joplin; secondly, that the boy he left with
Mr. Fielden was the same that he took again from that woman: therefore,
the necessity of finding out Mother Joplin, an essential witness. Q. E.
D., Master Jason!"