unes, if he pleased,
by engaging in commercial pursuits.

An opportunity of the kind that he wanted unexpectedly offered itself.
He left his sisters in care of an old male relative of the family at
the chateau in Normandy, and sailed, in the first instance, to the West
Indies; afterward extending his wanderings to the continent of South
America, and there engaging in mining transactions on a very large
scale. After fifteen years of absence (during the latter part of which
time false reports of his death had reached Normandy), he had just
returned to France, having realized a handsome independence, with which
he proposed to widen the limits of his ancestral property, and to give
his sisters (who were still, like himself, unmarried) all the luxuries
and advantages that affluence could bestow. The baron's independent
spirit and generous devotion to the honor of his family and the
happiness of his surviving relatives were themes of general admiration
in most of the social circles of Paris. He was expected to arrive in
the capital every day; and it was naturally enough predicted that his
reception in society there could not fail to be of the most flattering
and most brilliant kind.

The Welwyns listened to this story with some little interest; Rosamond,
who was very romantic, being especially attracted by it, and openly
avowing to her father and sister, when they got back to their hotel,
that she felt as ardent a curiosity as anybody to see the adventurous
and generous baron. The desire was soon gratified. Franval came to
Paris, as had been anticipated--was introduced to the Welwyns--met them
constantly in society--made no favorable impression on Ida, but won the
good opinion of Rosamond from the first; and was regarded with such
high approval by their father, that when he mentioned his intentions of
visiting England in the spring of the new year, he was cordially invited
to spend the hunting season at Glenwith Grange.

I came back from Germany about the same time that the Welwyns returned
from Paris, and at once set myself to improve my neighborly intimacy
with the family. I was very fond of Ida; more fond, perhaps, than my
vanity will now allow me to--; but that is of no consequence. It is much
more to the purpose to tell you that I heard the whole of the baron's
story enthusiastically related by Mr. Welwyn and Rosamond; that he came
to the Grange at the appointed time; that I was introduced to him; and
that he produced