He listened to my story
attentively, then said: 'Do you come from the missing party's
friends, sir?'
'I am her friend,' I answered--'her only friend.'
'I mean, of course, do you represent her father or mother, or any
near relative?'
'She is an orphan; she has no relatives,' I said.
He looked at me steadily and said: 'I am sorry, sir, that neither I
nor a magistrate could do anything to aid you.'
'You can do nothing to aid me?' I asked angrily.
'I can do nothing to aid you, sir, in identifying a young woman you
once heard sing in the streets of London, with a lady you saw once on
the top of Snowdon.'
As I was leaving the office, he said: 'One moment, sir. I don't see
how I can take up this case for you, but I may make a suggestion. I
have an idea that you would do well to pursue inquiries among the
Gypsies.'
'Gypsies!' I said with great heat, as I left the office. 'If you knew
how I had already "pursued inquiries" among the Gypsies, you would
understand how barren is your suggestion.'
Weeks passed in this way. My aunt's ill-health became rather serious:
my mother too was still very unwell.
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