ing, and perhaps I may have something to say to you."

I did not fail to attend Mr Masterton, who stated that he had made every
inquiry relative to the De Benyons; as he had said, they were an Irish
family of the highest rank, and holding the peerage of De Beauvoir, but
that he had written to his agent in Dublin, giving him directions to
obtain for him every possible information in his power relative to all
the individuals composing it. Till this had been received, all that I
could do was to remain quiet. I then narrated to him the behaviour of
the agent, Mr Iving, to Timothy. "There is some mystery there, most
assuredly," observed Mr Masterton; "When do you go again to ----?"

I replied, that it was not my intention to go there for some time,
unless he would wish to see the little girl.

"I do, Newland. I think I must take her under my protection as well as
you. We will go down to-morrow. Sunday is the only day I can spare; but
it must be put down as a work of charity."

The next day we went down to ----. Fleta was surprised to see me so soon,
and Mr Masterton was much struck with the elegance and classical
features of my little protegee. He asked her many questions, and with
his legal tact, contrived to draw from her many little points relative
to her infant days, which she had, till he put his probing questions,
quite forgotten. As we returned to town, he observed, "You are right,
Japhet, that is no child of humble origin. Her very appearance
contradicts it; but we have, I think, a chance of discovering who she
is--a better one, I'm afraid, than at present we have for your
identification. But never mind, let us trust to perseverance."

For three weeks I continued to live with Harcourt, but I did not go out
much. Such was the state of my affairs, when Timothy came to my room
one morning, and said, "I do not know whether you have observed it, sir;
but there is a man constantly lurking about here, watching the house, I
believe. I think, but still I'm not quite sure, that I have seen his
face before; but where I cannot recollect."

"Indeed, what sort of a person may he be?"

"He is a very dark man, stout, and well made; and is dressed in a sort
of half-sailor, half-gentleman's dress; such as you see put on by those
who belong to the Funny Clubs on the river; but he is not at all a
gentleman himself--quite the contrary. It is now about a week that I
have seen him, every day; and I have watched him, and perceive that