ase--so am I to answer
them."

"I answered all yours unhesitatingly, and you owe it to me to do the
same," said Sir Norman, somewhat haughtily. "In the first place, you
have an advantage of me which I neither understand, nor relish; so,
to place us on equal terms, will you have the goodness to tell me your
name?"

"Most assuredly! My name," said the stranger, with glib airiness, "is
Count L'Estrange."

"A name unknown to me," said Sir Norman, with a piercing look, "and
equally unknown, I believe, at Whitehall. There is a Lord L'Estrange in
London; but you and he are certainly not one and the same."

"My friend does not believe me," said the count, almost gayly--"a
circumstance I regret, but cannot help. Is there anything else Sir
Norman wishes to know?"

"If you do not answer my questions truthfully, there is little use in
my asking them," said Sir Norman, bluntly. "Do you mean to say you are a
foreigner?"

"Sir Norman Kingsley is at perfect liberty to answer that question as he
pleases," replied the stranger, with most provoking indifference.

Sir Norman's eye flashed, and his hand fell on his sword; but,
reflecting that the count might find it inconvenient to answer any more
questions if he ran him through, he restrained himself and went on.

"Sir, you are impertinent, but that is of no consequence, just now. Who
was that lady--what was her name?"

"Leoline."

"Was she your wife?"

The stranger paused for a moment, as if reflecting whether she was or
not, and then said, meditatively,

"No--I don't know as she was. On the whole, I am pretty sure she was
not."

Sir Norman felt as if a ton weight had been suddenly hoisted from the
region of his heart.

"Was she anybody else's wife?"

"I think not. I'm inclined to think that, except myself, she did not
know another man in London."

"Then why was she dressed as a bride?" inquired Sir Norman, rather
mystified.

"Was she? My poor Leoline!" said the stranger, sadly. "Because-"
he hesitated, "because--in short, Sir Norman," said the stranger,
decidedly, "I decline answering any more questions!"

"I shall find out, for all that," said Sir Norman, "and here I shall bid
you good-night, for this by-path leads to my destination."

"Good-night," said the stranger, "and be careful, Sir Norman-remember,
the plague is abroad."

"And so are highwaymen!" called Sir Norman after him, a little
maliciously; but a careless laugh from the stranger was the only rep