nd uneasy, hating
and fearing every man who approached her."

He reached a glass of water which stood on the table, and, having drunk
some, looked again at his son.

"You see, Caradoc, if I have withheld this information from you long, I
am telling you everything now. Just about this time my brother Lewis,
who had for some years been settled in Scotland to learn farming, came
home to Brynderyn, although I, being the elder son, was the owner of
the place. Lewis had a small annuity settled upon him. As I was on
the eve of being married, he was much interested in my affairs, and
spoke of his admiration of Agnes in such glowing terms, that I felt,
and, I fear, showed some resentment. However, as he was well
acquainted with my suspicious nature, he was not offended, but laughed
me out of my doubts for the time--for the time," he repeated, again
fixing his eyes on the spot on the carpet. "Bear in mind, Cardo,
through every word of this history, that the suspicion and mistrust of
my nature amounted almost to insanity. I see it now, and, thank God,
have conquered it in some measure. Well, we were married. Lewis was
my groomsman, and Ellen Vaughan was the bridesmaid. It was a very
quiet wedding, as Mrs. Vaughan was in very bad health--in fact, she
died soon after our marriage, and Agnes seemed to feel the loss of her
aunt so acutely that I was jealous and angry, and she saw that I was
so, and endeavoured to hide her tears, poor child! poor child! I don't
think her uncle ever liked me, or approved of our marriage. Happily he
had no control over Agnes's fortune, or I believe she would never have
had a penny of it; but I think he might have trusted me there, for I
have nursed it--yes and doubled it," he mumbled, as though forgetting
he was speaking to anyone but the carpet. "Well, let me see--where was
I?"

"But my mother, sir?" interrupted Cardo; "tell me something about
her--was she pretty?"

"Yes, she was beautiful, very lovely, with a foreign Spanish look in
her eyes--you have the same, I think, Cardo. There was a tradition of
Spanish blood in the family."

"And had she a Spanish temper, sir? quick and hasty, I mean."

"No, no, quite the contrary; a sweet and amiable temper, but certainly
with a good deal of pride, which resented a suspicion like a blow," and
the old man sighed heavily. "My brother Lewis made his home at
Brynderyn, while he was looking about for some suitable opening for his
farming operat