I am going
there to try and discover some tidings of her. I am going at once. Don't
look anxious, dear mother; the journey to Kylmington, and the hope that
takes me there, will do me more good than all the drugs in Mr. Bainham's
surgery. Be my own dear indulgent mother, as you have always been, and
pack me a couple of clean shirts in a portmanteau. I shall come back
to-morrow night, I dare say, as I've only three days' leave of absence
from the office.'
"My mother, who had never in her life refused me anything, did not long
oppose me to-day. A hansom cab rattled me off to the station; and at
five minutes before the half-hour I was on the platform, with my ticket
for Kylmington in my pocket."
CHAPTER XLVII.
THE DAWN.
"The clock of Kylmington church, which was as much behind any other
public timekeeper I had ever encountered as the town of Kylmington was
behind any other town I had ever explored, struck eight as I opened the
little wooden gate of the churchyard, and went into the shade of an
avenue of stunted sycamores, which was supposed to be the chief glory of
Kylmington.
"It was twenty minutes past eight by London time, and the summer sun had
gone down, leaving all the low western sky bathed in vivid yellow light,
which deepened into crimson as I watched it.
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