each. He had gone out after breakfast and
was still absent. If my Lord would wait, Mr. Adam should be at once
informed."

But my Lord greatly preferred to see Mr. Ferris at once, and would walk
along the sands till he met with him.

"As his Excellency wills," said Joseph, bowing low, and Earl Raincy went
his way, tall, whitehaired and slender, to meet Patsy's father. Within
tide-mark they met, at the exact point where the Raincy properties join
the valley possessions of the Ferrises. Therefore in the most fitting
spot--a true no-man's land, in that the foreshore was the property of
the Government, though on the "heuchs" above the butt of the separating
march dyke, built with masonry and bound and spiked with iron, testified
that the Jews of the hills had no dealings with the Samaritans of the
valleys. The lesson, seen close at hand, was a little marred by the fact
that Louis and Stair with the assistance of a forehammer had converted
certain of the spikes into a very practicable ladder which either of
them, when pressed for time, could take at racing pace.

But from the beach below the barrier seemed of the last truculence and
efficacy.

The old Earl took off his three-cornered hat with the gold button on a
white rosette at the side. Adam did the same with his more modern
broad-brimmed, low-crowned white beaver.

"I have the honour to announce to you," said Earl Raincy, bowing
formally, "that your daughter is at my house under the care of my
daughter-in-law. My grandson Louis, with, I believe, the help of several
of your tenants, conveyed her safely back, and I congratulate myself
that Louis had the good sense to bring her to Castle Raincy. You will
pardon him, I feel sure. He went first to your house of Cairn Ferris,
but finding it dismantled, he made up his mind that she could not safely
return to Miss Aline's at Ladykirk. So I came off to see you at once,
and to say to you how highly I feel myself honoured that one of your
name should sojourn under my roof. Time is a great healer, and by gad,
sir, if you will permit me to say so, I shall stand by you in this
affair, and between us we shall crack the rascals' skulls!"

He held out his hand, which Adam, who had listened sympathetically to
the old man's speech, instantly took. Then after one solid grip, they
dropped each other's palms with a slight feeling of awkwardness.

"I thank you, my Lord," said Adam Ferris, "I appreciate your coming to
me. I knew some tim