favorite with his father, if I may take the liberty of
saying as much. One day he quarreled bitterly with the old earl and
vowed that he would leave home and begin a new life in another country.
That vow he kept. He was scarcely twenty years of age then, but he
sailed from England for the Canadas with a small sum of money in his
pocket. And in all the years that followed nothing was heard of him.

"I now pass over a long period. In the year 1814 the eldest son Reginald
died; he left a wife but no issue. Three months later the second son was
thrown and killed while hunting. In consequence of this double shock the
old earl was stricken with paralysis. He lingered for months speechless
and helpless, and early in the following year he, too, died. Having no
blood relatives--save the missing younger son--the title was threatened
with extinction. The estate, of course, went into Chancery."

As the law clerk paused for a moment there flashed into my mind an
incident that had happened long before at Fort York--the sudden
agitation exhibited by Captain Rudstone while reading a copy of the
London _Times_, and the paragraph I had subsequently found relating to
the Earl of Heathermere. It was all clear to me now.

"There is but little more to tell," resumed Christopher Barley. "The
disappearance of Osmund Maiden in 1787 was not generally known, but it
came to the knowledge of my employers, Parchmont & Tolliver. They
determined to take the matter up on speculation, and accordingly they
sent me out to the Canadas to search for the missing heir, or for his
issue in case he had married and died, and I trust you will remember, my
lord, that they incurred very heavy expenses on a slim chance of
success."

"There are several things I should like to ask you," replied Macdonald.
"I infer from your own statement that you were aware months ago of the
death of your father and brothers, and of the fact that Mr. Burley was
in Canada seeking for you?"

"That is correct, sir."

"And yet you kept silence--you did not reveal your identity?"

"Yes. I had a reason, as I mentioned before."

"It must have been a very important one!"

"My lord, I agree with Mr. Macdonald," broke in the law clerk. "Looking
at it from a legal standpoint, I feel that an explanation should be
forthcoming."

"You shall have it in the presence of these gentlemen," declared the
captain. "There is nothing now to prevent me from speaking openly,
though I must admit tha