ink of coming here to oppose Carlyle after his
doing with Lady Isabel?"

"I don't know," said Barbara. "I wonder that he should come here for
other reasons also. First of all, Richard, tell me how you came to know
Sir Francis Levison. You say you did know him, and that you had seen him
with Thorn."

"So I do know him," answered Richard. "And I saw him with Thorn twice."

"Know him by sight only, I presume. Let me hear how you came to know
him."

"He was pointed out to me. I saw him walk arm-in-arm with a gentleman,
and I showed them to the waterman at the cab-stand hard by. 'Do you know
that fellow?' I asked him, indicating Thorn, for I wanted to come at who
he really is--which I didn't do. 'I don't know that one,' the old chap
answered, 'but the one with him is Levison the baronet. They are often
together--a couple of swells they looked.'"

"And that's how you got to know Levison?"

"That was it," said Richard Hare.

"Then, Richard, you and the waterman made a mess of it between you. He
pointed out the wrong one, or you did not look at the right. Thorn is
Sir Francis Levison."

Richard stared at her with all his eyes.

"Nonsense, Barbara!"

"He is, I have never doubted it since the night you saw him in Bean
lane. The action you described, of his pushing back his hair, his white
hands, his sparkling diamond ring, could only apply in my mind to one
person--Francis Levison. On Thursday I drove by the Raven, when he was
speechifying to the people, and I noticed the selfsame action. In the
impulse of the moment I wrote off for you, that you might come and
set the doubt at rest. I need not have done it, it seems, for when Mr.
Carlyle returned home that evening, and I acquainted him with what I had
done, he told me that Thorn and Francis Levison are one and the same.
Otway Bethel recognized him that same afternoon, and so did Ebenezer
James."

"They'd both know him," eagerly cried Richard. "James I am positive
would, for he was skulking down to Hallijohn's often then, and saw Thorn
a dozen times. Otway Bethel must have seen him also, though he protested
he had not. Barbara!"

The name was uttered in affright, and Richard plunged amidst the trees,
for somebody was in sight--a tall, dark form advancing from the end of
the walk. Barbara smiled. It was only Mr. Carlyle, and Richard emerged
again.

"Fears still, Richard," Mr. Carlyle exclaimed, as he shook Richard
cordially by the hand. "So you have changed your