the chariot and travel post.

"Yours, H. D. MAITLAND."

In less than an hour after the reception of this note Edward Maitland
was on the road: and travelling with the utmost expedition, he arrived
at Maitland Park just as the day was fading into dusky eve.

"How is Sir Horace?" he asked of the man who admitted him.

"I do not think he seems very well, sir. You will find him in the
library, Mr. Edward--shall I announce you, sir?"

"No;" and with hurried steps and anxious heart Edward Maitland trod the
well-known passages leading to the library.

When he entered that room, Sir Horace was standing at one of its windows
gazing upon the landscape without, and so absorbed was he that he did
not move at the opening of the door. Edward spoke, and starting, he
turned towards him a face haggard with some yet untold suffering. He
advanced to meet his cousin, and with an almost convulsive grasp of the
hand, said, "I am glad you have come, Edward,"--then, without heeding
the anxious inquiries addressed to him by Edward, he rang the bell, and
ordered lights in a tone which caused them to be brought without a
moment's delay. As soon as the servant who had brought them had left the
room, Horace resumed: "Now, Edward, here is the paper of which I wrote
to you; read it at once."

Agitated by his cousin's manner, Edward took the old stained paper from
him without a word, and seating himself near the lights, began to read,
while Sir Horace stood just opposite him, eyeing him intently. In a very
few minutes Edward looked up with a puzzled air and said, "I do not
understand one word of it. What does it all mean, Horace?"

"It means that you are Sir Edward Maitland--that you are master
here--and that I am a beggar."

"Horace, you are mad!" exclaimed the young man, starting from his chair,
with quivering limbs and a face from which every trace of color had
departed.

Hitherto the tone in which Sir Horace had spoken, the alternate flush
and pallor on his face, and the shiver that occasionally passed over his
frame, had shown him to be fearfully excited; but as Edward became
agitated, all these signs of emotion passed away, and with wonderful
calmness taking the paper in his hand, he commenced reading that part of
it which explained its purpose. This was to secure the descent of the
baronetcy of Maitland and the property attached to it in the male line.
Having made Edward Maitland comprehend this purpose, Sir Horace drew
tow