we to do?"

But she did not speak; a stony stare had settled on her face.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Wilfred, anxiously; "tell me?"

Still she did not answer him, but instead stepped out into the hall,
where old Peter Polperrow stood waiting as if he expected some
wonderful transformation.

"Tell every servant to come at once into the library," she said quietly.

Meanwhile Wilfred and I waited, wondering what she intended to do when
her order was obeyed.

CHAPTER XXIX

MOTHER AND SON

A few minutes later all the servants assembled in the library. Most of
them were old and trusted, and had been in the house for many years.
There was a look of eager expectancy on their faces, as though they had
heard strange news.

"Do you know who this is?" said my mother, pointing towards me.

Evidently Peter Polperrow had told them of my arrival, for without a
moment's hesitation they answered:

"It's Mr. Roger."

"You recognise him, then?"

"Ay, that we do."

My mother looked at Wilfred with a yearning look, and then turning
towards them said,

"Mr. Roger left this house eleven years ago. Many of you were servants
here then, and since then you have served my son and me faithfully; but
your rightful master has come home, and now I resign all authority and
command to him."

"But mother----" I interrupted.

"Stop," she went on, "I must do my duty. It will not be much
longer"--turning to the servants--"that I shall be with you, but this I
must confess; I have been the means of Mr. Roger being away from you;
through me you have been deprived of your rightful master."

It must have cost her a terrible struggle to say this, for she was a
proud woman, and regarded servants as inferior beings to herself, and,
as with blanched face and trembling step she left the room immediately
after, I realised that she had come to some resolution which as yet was
unknown to me.

Meanwhile all the older servants crowded around me, each expressing
gladness because of my return, and gladly acknowledging me as master.
And all the while Wilfred sat like one entranced, never moving, never
uttering a word.

They left us at length and thus Wilfred and I were alone together. For
a time neither spoke, then I held out my hand to him.

"Wilfred," I said, "let us shake hands and be brothers once more."

"You are no brother of mine," he said, without moving.

"We are both blessed with the same father, Wilfred," I said.