not seem much impressed," thought Beatrice to herself, as she
tugged away at the postern bell; "I think he must be stupid. He looks
stupid."

Presently the door was opened by an active-looking little old woman with
a high voice.

"Mrs. Thomas," thought Owen to himself; "she is even worse than I
expected."

"Now you must please to go away," began the formidable housekeeper in
her shrillest key; "it is too late to show visitors over. Why, bless us,
it's you, Miss Beatrice, with a strange man! What do you want?"

Beatrice looked at her companion as a hint that he should explain
himself, but he said nothing.

"This is your new squire," she said, not without a certain pride. "I
found him wandering about the beach. He did not know how to get here, so
I brought him over."

"Lord, Miss Beatrice, and how do you know it's him?" said Mrs. Thomas.
"How do you know it ain't a housebreaker?"

"Oh, I'm sure he cannot be," answered Beatrice aside, "because he isn't
clever enough."

Then followed a long discussion. Mrs. Thomas stoutly refused to admit
the stranger without evidence of identity, and Beatrice, embracing his
cause, as stoutly pressed his claims. As for the lawful owner, he made
occasional feeble attempts to prove that he was himself, but Mrs. Thomas
was not to be imposed upon in this way. At last they came to a dead
lock.

"Y'd better go back to the inn, sir," said Mrs. Thomas with scathing
sarcasm, "and come up to-morrow with proofs and your luggage."

"Haven't you got any letters with you?" suggested Beatrice as a last
resource.

As it happened Owen had a letter, one from the lawyer to himself about
the property, and mentioning Mrs. Thomas's name as being in charge
of the Castle. He had forgotten all about it, but at this interesting
juncture it was produced and read aloud by Beatrice. Mrs. Thomas took
it, and having examined it carefully through her horn-rimmed spectacles,
was constrained to admit its authenticity.

"I'm sure I apologise, sir," she said with a half-doubtful courtesy
and much tact, "but one can't be too careful with all these trampseses
about; I never should have thought from the look of you, sir, how as you
was the new squire."

This might be candid, but it was not flattering, and it caused Beatrice
to snigger behind her handkerchief in true school-girl fashion. However,
they entered, and were led by Mrs. Thomas with solemn pomp through
the great and little halls, the stone parlour and