stands next to ourselves. The
next heir to the title, after you and your brothers, is the grandson
of Anastasius Wilders, a lad of whom I know nothing, except that he is
quite unfitted to assume the dignity of an Earl of Essendine, should
fate ever will it that he should succeed. This unfitness you will
readily appreciate when I tell you that he is at present a private
soldier in a marching-regiment in the East. Stranger still, this
regiment is the same as that in which poor Anastasius is serving--the
Royal Picts. The young man's name is McKay--Stanislas Anastasius
Wilders McKay. I have never seen him; but I am satisfied of his
existence, and of the absolute validity of his claims. My agents have
long had their eye on him, and through them I have full information of
his movements and disposition. He appears a decent, good sort of
youth. But I feel satisfied that we ought, as far as is possible by
human endeavour, to prevent his becoming the head of the family.

"You are now in possession of the whole of the facts, my dear
Lydstone, and I need scarcely insist upon the way in which you are
affected by them. You will not hesitate, I am sure, after reading
this letter, to return to England the moment you can leave your poor
brother."

There was more in the letter, but it dealt with purely business
matters, which did not interest the person who had become
clandestinely possessed of it.

To say that Mrs. Wilders read this letter with surprise would
inadequately express its effect upon her. She was altogether taken
aback, dismayed, horror-stricken at its contents.

Now, when chance, or something worse, had cleared the way towards the
great end, after which she had always eagerly, but almost hopelessly,
hankered, a new and entirely unexpected obstacle suddenly supervened.

Another life was thrust in between her and the proximate enjoyment of
high rank and great wealth.

Who was this interloper--this McKay--this private soldier serving in
the ranks of the Royal Picts? What sort of man? What were his
prospects--his age? Was it likely that he would stand permanently in
her way?

These were facts which she must speedily ascertain. The regiment to
which he belonged was in the Crimea, part of her uncle's brigade.
Surely through him she might discover all she wanted to know. But how
could this be best accomplished?

The more she thought over it, the more convinced she was that she
ought to go in person to the Crimea, to pro