ANOTHER OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 161

nerves as of iron ; he was not to be daunted by diffi-
culties, er impeded by obstacles of one kind or another,
and now he stood before Williams like the personifi-
cation of determined will, and demanded from him
where was his sister ?

“Would to Heaven I could tell you!” said
Williams, with sincerity.

Reynolds did not believe him. Williams tried every
means in his power to convince him ; offered him an
unlimited order on his banker for their use ; but
Reynolds rejected it. “It isa mockery,” said he,
indignantly, “to offer money now, when you have
compelled them into unknown misery and perhaps
ruin !”

A violent quarrel ensued, and Reynolds returned
to England, cursing what he considered the heartless,
selfish, unnatural pride and unkindness of his partner,
and resolved to spend his life, if needful, in rescuing
the girl he loved so tenderly from the misery which
seemed to encompass her.

It was impossible to keep from Mrs. Williams's
knowledge the fact that something unpleasant had
caused this unexpected journey of her husband’s
partner to such a distance, and no doubt Williams
would have found the concealment of the truth much
more difficult than he did, had not fortune favoured
him ; his child was born, and the mother forgot every
unpleasant thing in the joy of her first-born.

Months went on. A house was taken for them at
Florence ; the day fixed for their journey was come.
At the moment of departure a letter from England
was put into Williams's hand ; it was in a woman’s
hand-writing, and had been sent merely directed to

P 2