struction in the
time of Cromwell. This painting was executed on a massive slab of oak,
and conceived in a most quaint and formal style, being relieved in the
foreground with stags at gaze and woodeny horses, that must, according
to any rule of proportion, have been about half as large as the
gateway towers. Evidently, also, it was of an older date than the
present house, which is Jacobean, having probably been removed to its
present position from the ruins of the Castle. Such as it was,
however, it gave a very good idea of what the ancient seat of the
Boisseys and de la Molles had been like before the Roundheads had made
an end of its glory. The dining-room itself was commodious, though not
large. It was lighted by three narrow windows which looked out upon
the moat, and bore a considerable air of solid comfort. The table,
made of black oak, of extraordinary solidity and weight, was matched
by a sideboard of the same material and apparently of the same date,
both pieces of furniture being, as Mr. de la Molle informed his
guests, relics of the Castle.

On this sideboard were placed several pieces of old and massive plate,
each of which was rudely engraved with three falcons /or/, the arms of
the de la Molle family. One piece, indeed, a very ancient salver, bore
those of the Boisseys--a ragged oak, in an escutcheon of pretence--
showing thereby that it dated from that de la Molle who in the time of
Henry the Seventh had obtained the property by marriage with the
Boissey heiress.

Conversation having turned that way, as the dinner, which was a simple
one, went on, the old Squire had this piece of plate brought to Harold
Quaritch for him to examine.

"It is very curious," he said; "have you much of this, Mr. de la
Molle?"

"No indeed," he said; "I wish I had. It all vanished in the time of
Charles the First."

"Melted down, I suppose," said the Colonel.

"No, that is the odd part of it. I don't think it was. It was hidden
somewhere--I don't know where, or perhaps it was turned into money and
the money hidden. But I will tell you the story if you like as soon as
we have done dinner."

Accordingly, when the servants had removed the cloth, and after the
old fashion placed the wine upon the naked wood, the Squire began his
tale, of which the following is the substance.

"In the time of James I. the de la Molle family was at the height of
its prosperity, that is, so far as money goes. For several generations
previou