blue-grey
eyes that had a trick of seeming to look through and beyond the
objects upon which they were bent, and a thoroughly English type of
feature; whilst his companion was more slightly built, albeit a man
of fine proportions, too, with a darker face, more chiselled
features, and hair dressed according to the prevailing mode,
lightly powdered in front, and tied in a queue behind.

Wolfe rose slowly to his feet, his brow slightly contracting with
the effort. Upon his face there was a very attractive smile, and he
held out his hand in turn to the two newcomers.

"You are very welcome, gentlemen--more welcome than I can say. I am
grateful to my friend Sir Charles for giving me this opportunity of
making your acquaintance. It has been my great wish to speak face
to face with men who have lived in that great land whither all eyes
are now turning. Be seated, I pray you, gentlemen, and tell me
which of you is Mr. Julia Dautray, and which Mr. Humphrey Angell."

"My name is Dautray," answered the dark-eyed man. "We have
travelled to England together, my friend and I, but have also been
in France, to visit some of those there still bearing my name,
although my immediate forefathers have lived and died in the lands
of the far West. We have met with much kindness in this country,
and have some time since accomplished the mission on which we were
dispatched. Our thoughts are turning once more towards the land of
our birth. Had we not been in France at the time, we would gladly
have accompanied the expedition which set sail for Louisbourg not
long since."

"I cannot regret that you failed to do so," answered Wolfe, in his
winning way, "since it has brought me the pleasure of this visit. I
trust, gentlemen, that you will honour me by being my guests for a
few days at least. There is very much that I desire to learn about
the lands from which you come. My friend Sir Charles speaks as
though you were wanderers upon the face of the earth. If that be
so, I may hope that you will stay your wanderings meantime, and
make my home yours for a while."

"You are very kind, Captain Wolfe," said Julian gratefully; "if it
be not trespassing too far upon your hospitality, we should be glad
and grateful to accept it."

"The honour will be mine," said Wolfe; "I have long desired to know
more of that world beyond the seas. Hitherto I have seen nothing
save my own country, and a few of those which lie nearest to it.
But I have the feeling