e southern hemisphere.
Horace was at school, and I was sitting by an open window in my private
room, which looked on to the garden at the back of my town house.
Something came between me and the light. I looked up from my writing.
A man stood by the open window, and did not move away as he saw my eyes
fixed on him. He wore a broad palm leaf hat, which rather shaded from
my view his full features; but I could see a noble countenance, which
was rendered strikingly picturesque by the profusion of beard and
moustache, which had evidently been long untrimmed. His upper clothing
consisted of a faded blouse, fastened round the neck by a black silk
handkerchief. He had also coarse duck trousers on, bound round his
waist by a leathern belt, and well-made boots on his feet, which were
remarkably small for one of his robust make.

"My heart sank within me for a moment or two, for I divined at once who
he must be; but, recovering myself, I asked him if he wished to speak
with me. `Yes; he should be glad to do so,' he replied in a sad voice,
but with the greatest courtesy of manner.

"He was soon seated opposite to me, and came at once to the point by
saying, `How can I ever discharge my debt of gratitude to you, Colonel
Dawson, for your most generous treatment of my poor boy, who might have
been lost or ruined but for your kindness?'

"`Pray, don't say anything more on the subject, Mr Jackson,' I replied.
`It has been a happiness to me to have been led to befriend your child;
and, indeed, he has become so dear to me, that I know not how to part
with him. But, of course, as he is yours, not mine, you are at liberty
to take him when you will, or to leave him with me till you can provide
a settled home for him.'

"My visitor was greatly moved, and grasped my hand most warmly. `I
know,' he said, `the best recompense I can make to one who has acted
towards me as you have done, is to lay myself under still deeper
obligation to you; and I will do so. I may tell you thus much about
myself--I am not what I seem. I have a great object which I am seeking
to accomplish, and I am, I think, on the road to success. I shall be
most thankful to leave my boy in your hands, at any rate, for the
present, and shall be most happy to charge myself with all his expenses
at home and at school.'

"`Nay, Mr Jackson,' I replied; `while he remains with me it shall be my
privilege to supply him with all that he needs, as I can well afford to
do,