"Stay to supper and you will," Val invited. "Ricky and I discovered him
for you just as we promised we would. But then you've given us Rod in
return. I am not," Val told his cousin, "going to call you Rick even
though there is a tradition for it. There are too many 'Ricks'
complicating the family history now. I think you had better be 'Rod'."

"Anythin' yo' say," he grinned.

For the third time that afternoon Val heard a car coming up the drive.

"If this should turn out to be the Grand Chan of Tartary or the Lama of
Peru I shall not be one iota surprised," he announced. "After what I've
been through this afternoon, nothing, absolutely nothing, would surprise
me. Oh, it's only the family."

With the impatience of one who has a good earth-shaking shock ready to
administer, he watched his wandering relatives disembark. Charity and
Holmes were still with them and a sort of aura of disappointment hung
over the group. Then Ricky looked up and with a cry of joy came up the
terrace steps in what seemed like a single leap.

"Oh, Mr. Creighton," she began when Val lifted his hand. "Let me tell
it," he begged, "I've been waiting for a chance like this for years."
Ricky was obediently silent, thinking that he wished to break the
mystery of the author. But Jeems and LeFleur understood that it was to
them Val appealed.

"Val, what are you doing out of bed?" was Rupert's first question.

"Saving the old homestead while you went joy-riding. We had visitors
this afternoon."

"Visitors? Who?" he began when his brother silenced him with a frown.

"Oh, let's not go into that now," Val said hurriedly. "There is
something more important to be discussed. Since you left this afternoon
we have had an addition to the family."

"An addition to the family," puzzled Ricky. "What do you mean?"

"Rick Ralestone has come back," Val announced.

"Val, hadn't you better go back to bed?" suggested his sister.

"Not now," he grinned at her. "I haven't lost my mind yet, nor am I
raving. Ladies and gentlemen," Val prepared to echo Creighton's speech
of an hour before, "permit me to introduce Roderick St. Jean de Roche
Ralestone, the missing heir!"

With an impish grin Val had never seen on his face before, Jeems clicked
his heels in a creditable imitation of a court bow.

CHAPTER XVIII

RUPERT BRINGS HOME HIS MARCHIONESS

"Such a nice domestic scene," Val observed.

Ricky looked up from the bowl into which she was shelling pea