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〃And did papa leave no message？〃
〃Why； no； he did not turn round。 The strange man the man in the rough coatjust touched him and spoke to him half…way down the aisle。 Then papa whispered to him and he whispered back。 Then； as soon as they came into the vestibule here； papa led him out at that side door； and did not seem to remember me。 They almost ran across the street； and took George Gibb's hack。 I knew the horses。〃
〃That's too bad；〃 said Laura； 〃I thought papa would walk home with us and tell us the story of the bears。〃
Poor Mrs。 Molyneux thought it was too bad； too； but she said nothing。
And Matty； when she joined her mother； said；
〃I shall feel a thousand times happier； mamma； if I go and see Mrs。 Gilbert now。〃 And she explained who Mrs。 Gilbert was。 〃Perhaps it may do some good。 Anyway； I shall feel as if I were doing something。 I will be home in time to finish the tree and things； for Horace will like to help me。〃
And the poor girl looked her entreaties so eagerly that her mother could not but assent to her plan。 So she made Beverly go up the avenue with her；Beverly； who would have swum the Potomac and back for her； had she asked him；as he was on his way to join his father at the Bureau。
As they came out upon the broad sidewalk； that odious Greenhithe； with some one whom Beverly called a blackguard of his crew； pushed by them； and he had the impudence to turn and touch his hat to Matty again。
Matty's hand trembled on Beverly's arm； but she would not speak for a minute； only she walked slower and slower。
Then she said： 〃I am so afraid； Bev； that Tom and he will get into a quarrel。 Tom declares he will go into Willard's and find out whether he does know anything。〃
But Beverly； very mannish； tried to reassure her and make her believe that Tom would be very self…restrained and perfectly careful。
On Christmas Day the Jew's dry…goods store； which had taken the place of old Mr。 Gilbert's notary's office； was closednot perhaps so much from the Israelite's enthusiasm about Christmas as in deference to what in New England is called 〃the sense of the street。〃 Matty； however； acting from a precise knowledge of Washington life； rang boldly at the green door adjacent； Beverly still waiting to see what might turn up； and when a brisk 〃colored girl〃 appeared； Matty inquired if Mrs。 Munroe was at home。
Now all that Matty knew of Mrs。 Munroe was that her name was on a well…scoured brass plate on the door。
Mrs。 Munroe was in。 Beverly said he would wait in the passage。 Mrs。 Munroe proved to be a nice； motherly sort of a person； who； as it need hardly be said； was stone…deaf。 It required some time for Matty to adjust her speaking apparatus to the exigency； but when this was done； Mrs。 Munroe explained that Mr。 Gilbert was dead； that an effort had been made to continue the business with the old sign and the old good will； under the direction of a certain Mr。 Bundy； who had sometimes been called in as an assistant。 But Mr。 Bundy； after some years； paid more attention to whiskey than he did to notarying； and the law business had suffered。 Finally； Mr。 Bundy was brought home by the police one night with a broken head； and then Mrs。 Gilbert had withdrawn the signs； cancelled the lease； turned Mr。 Bundy out…of… doors； and retired to live with a step…sister of her brother's wife's father near the Arsenal； good Mrs。 Munroe was not certain whether on Delaware Avenue； or whether on T Street； U Street； or V Street。 And； indeed； whether the lady's name were Butman before she married her second husband； and Lichtenfels afterwardor whether his name were Butman and hers Lichtenfels； Mrs。 Munroe was not quite sure。 Nor could she say whether Mr。 Gilbert took the account books and registers there were heaps on heaps of them； for Mr。 Gilbert had been a notary ever since General Jackson's dayor whether Bundy did not take them； or whether they were not sold for old paper； Mrs。 Munroe was not sure。 For all this happened all the break…up and removalwhile Mrs。 Munroe was on a visit to her sister not far from Brick Church above Little Falls； on your way to Frederic。 And Mrs。 Munroe offered this visit as a constant apology for her not knowing more precisely every detail of her old friend's business。
This explanation took a good deal of time； through all of which poor Beverly was fretting and fuming and stamping his cold feet in the passage； hearing the occasional questions of his sister； uttered with thunder tone in the 〃setting…room〃 above； but hearing no word of the placid widow's replies。
When Matty returned and held a consultation with him； the question was； whether to follow the books of account to Georgetown； where Mr。 Bundy was understood to be still residing； or to the neighborhood of the Arsenal； in the hope of finding Mrs。 Gilbert； Mrs。 Lichtenfels； or Mrs。 Butman； as the case might be。 Readers should understand that these two points； both unknown to the young people； are some six miles asunder； the original notary's office being about half…way between them。 Beverly was more disposed to advise following the man。 He was of a mind to attack some one of his own sex。 But the enterprise was； in truth； Matty's enterprise。 Beverly had but little faith in it from the beginning； and Matty was minded to follow such clue as they had to Mrs。 Gilbert； quite sure that； woman with woman； she should succeed better with her than； man with man； Beverly with Bundy。 Beverly assented to this view the more willingly； because Matty was quite willing to undertake the quest alone。 She was very brave about it indeed。 〃Plenty of nice people at the Arsenal；〃 or near it； whom she could fall back upon for counsel or information。 So they parted。 Matty took a street car for the east and south； and Beverly went his ways to the Bureau of Internal Improvement to report for duty to his father。
This story must not follow the details of Matty's quest for the firm of 〃Gilbert； Lichtenfels； or Butman。〃 Certain it is that she would never have succeeded had she rested simply on the directory or on such crude information as Mrs。 Munroe had so freely given。 But Matty had an English tongue in her head；a courteous； which is to say a confiding； address with strangers； she seemed almost to be conferring a favor at the moment when she asked one； and she knew； in this business； that there was no such word as fail。 After one or two false startssome very stupid answers； and some very blunt refusalsshe found her quarry at last； by as simple a process as walking into a Sunday…school of colored children； where she heard singing in the basement of a little chapel。
In a few words Matty explained her errand to the Superintendent； and that it was necessary that she should find Mrs。 Gilbert before dark。
〃Ting！〃 one stroke of the bell called hundreds of eager voices to silence。
〃Who knows where Mrs。 Gilbert lives？ Is it at Mrs。 Butman's house or Mrs。 Lichtenfels'？〃
Twenty eager hands contended with each other for the honor of giving the information； and in three minutes more； Matty； all encouraged by her success； was on her way。
And Mrs。 Gilbert was at home。 Good fortune number two！ Matty's star was surely in the ascendan