Helen looked up from her work once--twice--with no small
curiosity; she saw so few strangers, and of men, and young men, almost
none, from year's end to year's end. Yet it was a look as frank, as
unconscious, as maidenly as might have been Miranda's first glance at
Ferdinand.

Captain Bruce did not return her glance at all. His whole attention was
engrossed by Lord Cairnforth.

"My lord, I am so sorry--so very sorry--if I startled you by my
rudeness. The group inside was so cheering a sight, and I was a poor
weary wayfarer."

"Do not apologize, Captain Bruce. I am happy to make your
acquaintance."

"It has been the wish of my life, Lord Cairnforth, to make yours."

Lord Cairnforth turned upon him eyes sharp enough to make a less acute
person than the captain feel that honesty, rather than flattery, was the
safest tack to go upon. He took the hint.

"That is, I have wished, ever since I came home from India, to thank you
and Mr. Menteith--this is Mr. Menteith, I presume?--for my
cadetship, which I got through you. And though my ill health has
blighted my prospects, and after some service--for I exchanged from
the Company's civil into the military service--I have returned to
England an invalided and disappointed man, still my gratitude is exactly
the same, and I was anxious to see and thank you, as my benefactor and
my cousin."

Lord Cairnforth merely bent his head in answer to this long speech,
which a little perplexed him. He, like Helen, was both unused and
indifferent to strangers.

But Captain Bruce seemed determined not to be made a stranger. After
the brief ceremony of introduction to the little party, he sat down
close to Lord Cairnforth, displacing Helen, who quietly retired, and
began to unfold all his circumstances, giving as credentials of identity
a medal received for some Indian battle; a letter from his father, the
colonel, whose handwriting Mr. Menteith immediately recognized, and
other data, which sufficiently proved that he really was the person he
assumed to be.

"For," said he, with that exceedingly frank manner he had, the sort of
manner particularly taking with reserved people, because it saves them
so much trouble--"for otherwise how should you know that I am not an
impostor--a swindler--instead of your cousin, which I hope you
believe I really am, Lord Cairnforth?"

"Certainly," said the earl, smiling, and looking both amused an
interested by this little adventure, so novel in