Jos'phine, now, sir, she be hear torectly. An' heah
comes Marster Dick, hisself."

Croyden arose and went toward the front of the house to meet him.

The agent was an elderly man; he wore a black broadcloth suit, shiny at
the elbows and shoulder blades, a stiff white shirt, a wide roomy
collar, bound around by a black string tie, and a broad-brimmed
drab-felt hat. His greeting was as to one he had known all his life.

"How do you do, Mr. Croyden!" he exclaimed. "I'm delighted to make your
acquaintance, sir." He drew out a key and opened the front door.
"Welcome to Clarendon, sir, welcome! Let us hope you will like it
enough to spend a little time here, occasionally."

"I'm sure I too hope so," returned Croyden; "for I am thinking of
making it my home."

"Good! Good! It's an ideal place!" exclaimed the agent. "It's
convenient to Baltimore; and Philadelphia, and New York, and Washington
aren't very far away. Exactly what the city people who can afford it,
are doing now,--making their homes in the country. Hampton's a town,
but it's country to you, sir, when compared to Northumberland--open the
shutters, Mose, so we can see.... This is the library, with the
dining-room behind it, sir--and on the other side of the hall is the
drawing-room. Open it, Mose, we will be over there presently. You see,
sir, it is just as Colonel Duval left it. Your father gave instructions
that nothing should be changed. He was a great friend of the Colonel,
was he not, sir?"

"I believe he was," said Croyden. "They met at the White Sulphur, where
both spent their summers--many years before the Colonel died."

"There, hangs the Colonel's sword--he carried it through the war,
sir--and his pistols--and his silk-sash, and here, in the corner, is
one of his regimental guidons--and here his portrait in
uniform--handsome man, wasn't he? And as gallant and good as he was
handsome. Maryland lost a brave son, when he died, sir."

"He looks the soldier," Croyden remarked.

"And he was one, sir--none better rode behind Jeb Stuart--and never far
behind, sir, never far behind!"

"He was in the cavalry?"

"Yes, sir. Seventh Maryland Cavalry--he commanded it during the last
two years of the war--went in a lieutenant and came out its colonel. A
fine record, sir, a fine record! Pity it is, he had none to leave it
to!--he was the last of his line, you know, the last of the line--not
even a distant cousin to inherit."

Croyden looked up at the tall,