ung
lordship, who has just come into the title, ma'm. And that's strange,
isn't it, for 'im to look so like, being as 'e belonged to the younger
branch who 'aven't 'eld the title for four generations; but come to
dress 'im in velvet and gold lace, and the likeness would be nigh as
perfect as if 'e 'ad stood for it."

Cassandra gazed so long silently at this picture that again the little
man coughed his deprecatory cough and essayed to lead her on; but she
was seeing visions and did not heed him. When at last she turned, her
gray eyes had deepened, and a clearly defined spot of delicate red
burned on one pale cheek. She drew a deep breath and looked down the
length of the long gallery. Everything was being impressed upon her mind
as upon sensitized paper.

She followed slowly in the old man's wake, never opening her lips until
they had made the circuit and were again standing before the portrait of
the fair-haired youth. Then, roused suddenly by a direct question, she
responded.

The old servant was saying: "You 'aven't 'appened to meet a Samuel
Cutter in America, 'ave you? 'E's our son. England was too slow for 'im.
Young men aren't like old ones; they wants hadventure, and they gets it.
That's 'ow so many of 'em joins the harmy and gets killed like 'is
lordship's two sons, and young Lord Thryng's brother as would 'ave been
'is lordship, if 'e' ad lived. You 'aven't 'appened to know a Samuel
Cutter over there? 'E went to Canada."

"No, I never met any one by that name. I live a long way from Canada."

"About 'ow far do you think, ma'm?"

Cassandra had no idea of the distance, but she knew how long David and
Hoyle were journeying there, so she answered as best she could. "It
takes three or four days to get there from my home."

The old man's eyes opened wide, and his jaw dropped. "It's a big
country--America is. England may be a small place, but she 'as
tremendous big possessions." He felt it all belonged to England, and
spoke with swelling pride as his short legs carried him toward the door.
There again he paused. He had learned nothing of this young woman to
tell his old wife, except that she came from America, and had never met
Samuel Cutter. The mystery was still unsolved.

"Yes, 'is young lordship do look amazing like that picture. If you'd
ever seen 'im, you'd think 'e'd dressed up in velvet and lace and stood
for it. 'E's lived in America five years, but if you never were in
Canada and never met our Samm