175
27 THE YOUNG PRETENDER 180
28 TWO BUNDLES OF HAY 187
29 JONES OR RATTLER 193
30 SCARLET FEVER 202
31 MITE 208
32 A SHOCK 216
33 DARKNESS 223
34 THE PHANTOM OF THE 230
STATION
35 THE QUEST 239
36 IDA'S CONFESSION 247
37 HOPE 252
38 THE CLUE 262
39 THE HONOURABLE PAUPER 270
40 JOY WELL-NIGH 277
INCREDIBLE
41 THE CANADIAN NORTHMOOR 284
42 HUMBLE PIE 290
43 THE STAFF 295

CHAPTER I
HONOURS

'Oh, there's that stick. What can he want?' sighed one of a pair of
dignified elderly ladies, in black silk, to the other, as in a quiet
country-town street they saw themselves about to be accosted by a man of
about forty, with the air of a managing clerk, who came up breathlessly,
with a flush on his usually pale cheeks.

'Miss Lang; I beg pardon! May I be allowed a few words with Miss
Marshall? I know it is unusual, but I have something unusual to tell
her.'

'Nothing distressing, I hope, Mr. Morton,' said one of the ladies,
startled.

'Oh no, quite the reverse,' he said, with a nervous laugh; 'in fact, I
have unexpectedly come into a property!'

'Indeed!' with great astonishment, 'I congratulate you,' as the colour
mounted in his face, pleasant, honest, but with the subdued expression
left by long years of patience in a subordinate position.

'May I ask--' began the other sister.

'I hardly understand it yet,' was the answer; 'but I must go to town by
the 5.10 train, and I should like her to hear it from myself.'

'Oh, certainly; it does you honour, Mr. Morton.'

They were entering the sweep of one of those large substantial houses on
the outskirts of country towns that have a tendency to become
boarding-schools, and such had that of the Misses Lang been long before
the days of the High School.

'Fortunately it is recreation-time,' said Miss Lang, as she conducted Mr.
Morton to the drawing-room, hung round with coloured drawings, in good
taste, if stiff, and chiefly devoted to interviews with parents.

'Poor little Miss Marshall!' murmured