an eccentric man, and invested his
money in eccentric securities. His son's money, like the lad himself,
went to the dogs, and left me decidedly out of pocket by my term of
guardianship. I really advise neither of you to indulge your
philanthropy in adopting somebody else's sons; it doesn't pay."

"Yours certainly was not a lucky experience," said Mr Rimbolt;
"however, when you were last heard of, Fame reported that you could
afford to drop a little."

"_Fama volat_, and so does money. No one could repeat the libel now
with truth. The fact is, this visit to an old college friend is a
trifle interested. My journey to the West has turned out badly, and,
greatly as I should like it, I could not offer to lend either of you
fellows a hundred pounds at this present moment. So I hope you won't
ask me."

The talk here took a financial turn, and Mrs Rimbolt presently joining
the party, she and her brother were left to themselves while Mr Rimbolt
and the colonel took a short stroll.

Mr Rimbolt took the opportunity of telling his brother-in-law what he
knew, not only of Jeffreys but of young Forrester, and the colonel told
him of his obligation to find if possible the child of his dead
companion-in-arms.

"It's a mixed-up business altogether," said he, "and from all I can
judge something of a family matter. My little girl, Rimbolt, whom
you've been so good to, seems to me more interested in this librarian of
yours than she would like any one to suspect--eh?"

"I have fancied so," said Mr Rimbolt, "sometimes."

"Pleasant to come home and find everybody in the dumps about some person
one has never seen. The sooner the rascal comes to light, the better
for everybody and for my holiday. By the way, Rimbolt, that struck me
as fishy about Jeffreys' money, didn't it you?"

"It did. I had never heard anything about Halgrove having a partner."

"I had. He went out of his mind and died by his own hand; but from what
I knew of Halgrove then, I should say it was _he_ who had a weakness for
eccentric speculations. However, the money's gone; so it's all the same
for young Jeffreys."

Raby found her life at Regent's Park very different from that either at
Wildtree or Clarges Street. Colonel Atherton was a man who hated
ceremony of any kind, and had a great idea of letting everybody do as
they chose. Raby consequently found herself her own mistress in a way
she had never experienced before. It was not altogether a del