s along the passage, and presently there
came into view the figure of a bluff, hearty, florid-faced man of
about five-and-forty, who thrust the landlady aside and threw a
metaphorical bombshell by exclaiming excitedly:

"My dear sir, I never was so delighted. Talk about English slowness.
Why, this is prompt enough to satisfy a Yankee. I never dispatched
my letter to you until late yesterday afternoon, Mr. Narkom,
and--by the way, which _is_ Mr. Narkom, and which that amazing Mr.
Cleek? Or, never mind--perhaps that clever johnnie will be coming
later; you can tell me all about that afterward. For the present,
come along. Let's not keep Lady Mary waiting--she's anxious. This
way, please."

Here--as Mr. Narkom had lost no time in acknowledging his identity,
it being clear that no mistake had been made after all--here he
caught the superintendent by the arm, whisked him down the passage,
and throwing open the door at the end of it, announced excitedly,
"All right, Mary. The Yard's answered--the big reward's caught 'em,
as I knew it would--and here's Narkom. That chap Cleek will come
by a later train, no doubt."

The response to this came from an unexpected quarter. Of a sudden
the man he had left standing at the outer door, under the impression
that he was in no way connected with the superintendent, but merely
a gentleman who had reached the inn at the same time, came down
the passage to the open door, brushed past him into the room,
and announced gravely, "Permit me to correct an error, please,
Major. The 'man Cleek' is not coming later--he is here, and very
much at your and Lady Mary Norcross' service, believe me. I have
long known the name of Major Seton Norcross as one which stands high
in the racing world--as that, indeed, of the gentleman who owns the
finest stud in the kingdom and whose filly, Highland Lassie, is
first favourite for the forthcoming Derby--and I now have the honour
of meeting the gentleman himself, it seems."

The effect of this was somewhat disconcerting. For, as he concluded
it, he put out his hand and rested it upon Mr. Narkom's shoulder,
whereat Lady Mary half rose from her seat, only to sit down again
suddenly and look round at her liege lord with uplifted eyebrows
and lips slightly parted. Afterward she declared of the two men
standing side by side in that familiar manner: "One reminded me
of an actor trying to play the part of a person of distinction, and
the other of a person of distinc