ursery, no schoolroom, what
can one do?"

Trenholme told them of Alec's telegram, and something of what he knew
concerning Bates. His own knowledge was scanty, but he had not even said
all he might have said when Mrs. Rexford politely regretted that her
husband and son, taking advantage of the rain, had both gone to the next
town to see some machinery they were buying, and would be away over
Sunday, otherwise they would not have missed the opportunity offered by
Sunday's leisure to call upon the newcomers.

"Oh, he's quite a common working-man, I fancy," added Trenholme,
hastily, surprised at the gloss his words had thrown on Bates's
position, and dimly realising that his way of putting things might
perhaps at some other times be as misleading as it had just that moment
been.

Then he went away rather abruptly, feeling burdened with the further
apologies she made with respect to Alec.

CHAPTER XIX.

Trenholme went home and sat down to write an article for a magazine. Its
subject was the discipline of life. He did not get on with it very well.
He rose more than once to look at the weather-glass and the weather.
Rain came in torrents, ceasing at intervals. The clouds swept over, with
lighter and darker spaces among them. The wind began to rise. Thunder
was in the air; as it became dusk lightning was seen in the far
distance.

A little after dark he heard a quick, light step upon the garden path.
The voice of the young dentist was audible at the door, and Mrs. Martha
ushered him into the study. Trenholme had felt more or less prejudice
against this fellow since he had become aware that he was in some way
connected with the incident that had discomforted his brother in his
lonely station. He looked at him with a glance of severe inquiry.

"I'm _real_ sorry to disturb you," said the dentist; "but, upon my word,
I'm uneasy in my mind. I've lost old Mr. Cameron."

It occurred to Trenholme now for the first time since he had heard of
Bates's coming that he, Bates, was the very man who could speak with
authority as to whether the old man in question had a right to the name
of Cameron. He wondered if the American could possibly have private
knowledge of Bates's movements, and knew that his coming could dispel
the mystery. If so, and if he had interest in keeping up the weird
story, he had done well now to lose his charge for the time being. Wild
and improbable as such a plot seemed, it was not more extraordinary