at related to his son, and it had made
no impression on his mind; but when he took out his own much briefer
letter, the address at Northmoor, and the sentences that followed, the
brief explanation where to seek for Michael suggested much.

'I doubt whether I could ever have got the rascal to speak out if it had
not been for Captain Alder, with whose brother-in-law, Mr. Forman, I had
the luck to meet on the way. They were some of the first settlers here,
and have a splendid farm, export no end of wheat and ice, and have a
share in the steam company. I am working out my board here for them till
you are good enough to send me my quarter's allowance, deducting the 25
pounds that Miss Rollstone helped me to, as there was no one else to whom
I could apply. I should like to stay here for good and all, and they
would take me for a farming-pupil for less than you have been giving to
my crammers, all in vain, I am afraid. The life would suit me much
better; they let me live with the family, and they are thorough right
sort of people, religious, and all that--and Alder seemed to take an
interest in me from the time he made out who I was, and, indeed, the
place is named after our Northmoor, where he says he spent his happiest
days. If you can pacify my mother, and if you would consent, I am sure I
could do much better here than at home, and soon be quite off your
hands.'

For the present, Lord Northmoor, who could only feel that he owed more
than he could express to his nephew, sent the youth a bill such as to
cover his expenses, with permission, so far as he himself was concerned,
to remain with these new friends, at least until there was another letter
and time to consider this proposal.

At the same time, he wrote to Rose Rollstone, not only the particulars of
Michael's history, but a request for those details about Herbert's
friends to which he had scarcely listened when she read them. He sent
likewise a paragraph to several newspapers, explaining that the
Honourable M. K. Morton, whose 'watery grave' had been duly recorded, had
in fact been only abducted by a former maid-servant, and bestowed in
Liverpool Workhouse, where he had been discovered by the generous
exertions of his cousin, Herbert Morton, Esquire. It was hoped that this
would obviate all suspicion of Ida, who was reported as still so unwell
that her mother was anxious to carry her abroad at once to try the effect
of change of scene. Upon which Frank consu