native garb, his richly embroidered jacket reflecting the faint light of
the hall with subdued, yet brilliant, effect. He upon his part showed
not the slightest interest in our coming, as he inspected us with his
childlike, sleepy eyes. "Tell Major Temple," said my friend to the man,
as he handed him his dripping coat and hat, "that Mr. Robert Ashton is
here, and--" He turned to me with a questioning glance. "Owen Morgan," I
replied, wondering if he would know me by name. If he did, he showed no
sign. "Just so--Mr. Owen Morgan," he continued, then strode toward a log
fire which crackled and sputtered cheerily upon the hearth of a huge
stone fireplace. I gave the man my cap and stick,--I was walking in a
heavy Norfolk jacket, my portmanteau having been sent ahead by train to
Exeter--and joined Mr. Ashton before the fire.

"I'm afraid I'm rather presuming upon the situation," I suggested, "to
make myself so much at home here; but perhaps the storm will slacken up
presently."

"Major Temple will be glad to see you, I'm sure," rejoined Mr. Ashton,
unconcernedly. "You can't possibly go on, you know--listen!" He waved
his hand toward the leaded windows against which the storm was now
driving with furious force.

"I'm afraid not," I answered, a bit ungraciously. I have a deep-rooted
dislike to imposing myself upon strangers, and I felt that my
unceremonious arrival at the house of Major Temple might be less
appreciated by that gentleman than my companion seemed to think likely.

"The Major is a queer old character," Mr. Ashton remarked, "great
traveler and collector. I'm here on a matter of business myself--partly
at least. He'll be glad to meet you. I fancy he's a bit lonely with
nobody to keep him company but his daughter. Here he comes now." He
turned toward a tall, spare man with gray hair and drooping gray
mustache, who entered the hall. His face, like Ashton's, had the dull,
burnt-in tone of brown which is acquired only by long exposure to the
sun, and which usually marks its possessor as a traveler in the hot
countries. "Ah, Ashton," exclaimed the Major, dropping his monocle,
"delighted to see you. You arrived yesterday?"--He extended his hand,
which Ashton grasped warmly.

"Late yesterday. You see I lost no time in coming to report the result
of my quest."

"And you were successful?" demanded the older man, excitedly.

"Entirely so," replied Ashton with a smile of satisfaction.

"Good--good!" The Major rubbe