rganist was dead, or that Anastasia
Joliffe had sprained an ankle; and he was relieved to hear the true
state of affairs. He waited a few minutes while Miss Joliffe took the
visitor his tea, and then went upstairs himself.

Lord Blandamer rose.

"I must apologise," he said, "for making myself at home in your room;
but I hope your landlady may have explained who I am, and how I come to
take so great a liberty. I am naturally interested in Cullerne and all
that concerns it, and hope ere long to get better acquainted with the
place--and the people," he added as an after-thought. "At present I
know disgracefully little about it, but that is due to my having been
abroad for many years; I only came back a few months ago. But I need
not bother you with all this; what I really wanted was to ask you if you
would give me some idea of the scheme of restoration which it is
proposed to undertake at the minster. Until last week I had not heard
that anything of the kind was in contemplation."

His tone was measured, and a clear, deep, voice gave weight and
sincerity to his words. His clean-shaven face and olive complexion, his
regular features and dark eyebrows, suggested a Spaniard to Westray as
he spoke, and the impression was strengthened by the decorous and grave
courtesy of his manner.

"I shall be delighted to explain anything I can," said the architect,
and took down a bundle of plans and papers from a shelf.

"I fear I shall not be able to do much this evening," Lord Blandamer
said; "for I have to catch the train to London in a short time; but, if
you will allow me, I will take an early opportunity of coming over
again. We might then, perhaps, go to the church together. The building
has a great fascination for me, not only on account of its own
magnificence, but also from old associations. When I was a boy, and
sometimes a very unhappy boy, I used often to come over from Fording,
and spend hours rambling about the minster. Its winding staircases, its
dark wall-passages, its mysterious screens and stalls, brought me
romantic dreams, from which I think I have never entirely wakened. I am
told the building stands in need of extensive restoration, though to the
outsider it looks much the same as ever. It always had a dilapidated
air."

Westray gave a short outline of what it was considered should ultimately
be done, and of what it was proposed to attack for the present.

"You see, we have our work cut out for u