Meeting with no other expression than that of generous
interest, he recovered his self-command, and made his reply with
sufficient coolness.

"Upon my word, Mrs. Dutton," he cried, laughing; "we young men will all
of us have to get over the cliff, and hang dangling at the end of a
rope, in order to awaken an interest in Miss Mildred, to defend us when
our backs are turned. So eloquent--and most especially, so lovely, so
charming an advocate, is almost certain of success; and my uncle and
myself must admit the absent gentleman's right to our name; though,
heaven be praised, he has not yet got either the title or the estate."

"I hope I have said nothing, Sir Wycherly, to displease _you_," returned
Mildred, with emphasis; though her face was a thousand times handsomer
than ever, with the blushes that suffused it. "Nothing would pain me
more, than to suppose I had done so improper a thing. I merely meant
that we cannot believe Mr. Wycherly Wychecombe would willingly take a
name he had no right to."

"My little dear," said the baronet, taking the hand of the distressed
girl, and kissing her cheek, as he had often done before, with fatherly
tenderness; "it is not an easy matter for _you_ to offend _me_; and I'm
sure the young fellow is quite welcome to both my names, if you wish him
to have 'em."

"And I merely meant, Miss Mildred," resumed Tom, who feared he might
have gone too far; "that the young gentleman--quite without any fault of
his own--is probably ignorant how he came by two names that have so long
pertained to the head of an ancient and honourable family. There is many
a young man born, who is worthy of being an earl, but whom the law
considers--" here Tom paused to choose terms suitable for his auditor,
when the baronet added,

"A _filius nullius_--that's the phrase, Tom--I had it from your own
father's mouth."

Tom Wychecombe started, and looked furtively around him, as if to
ascertain who suspected the truth. Then he continued, anxious to regain
the ground he feared he had lost in Mildred's favour.

"_Filius nullius_ means, Miss Mildred, exactly what I wish to express; a
family without any legal origin. They tell me, however, that in the
colonies, nothing is more common than for people to take the names of
the great families at home, and after a while they fancy themselves
related."

"I never heard Mr. Wycherly Wychecombe say a word to lead us to suppose
that he was, in any manner, connected with this