gize for having kept you waiting so long. Pray come into my study.
I fear Julie was somewhat brusque and rude to you. She is a good soul,
though. Please be seated, gentlemen."

"M. _la coore_," said Webster, struggling hard with his one French word,
and breaking down lamentably.

"I can speak English," said the priest, "if that will help you."

"Oh, yes," replied Webster, drawing a deep sigh of relief; "thank Heaven
for that."

M. le cure smiled benignly.

"Well, sir," went on the lawyer, "I've come to ask you whether you knew a
family called McAllister, supposed to be living in these parts."

"McAllister! Why, of course I do. I have known them for years."

"Oh, my good sir, you have relieved my mind of a heavy burden. For the
last three weeks my clerk and I have been searching every churchyard
round about here for the name, and have hitherto failed to find it.
To-night the idea entered my head that you might know."

"My head, if you please," murmured young Brown _sotto voce_.

"I shall be most happy to be of any service to you," said M. Bois-le-Duc.
"Madame McAllister, with her son Noel, lives about three miles down the
road. You cannot mistake the cottage. It is a plain white one with a
red-tiled roof--the only red-roofed cottage on the road."

"Thank you very much, sir," said Webster.

"You will like Noel McAllister," went on the cure; "he is a fine manly
young fellow, and was my pupil for many years, so I know him well."

"I am infinitely obliged to you, sir," said Webster, gratefully. "I
suppose we may call at the cottage the first thing in the morning. The
only house on the road with a red-tiled roof you said? Thanks. We shall
not detain you longer. Good-evening, sir, good-evening."

And Webster, having obtained the desired information, marched off with
his clerk, leaving the cure in wondering perplexity as to his relations
with the McAllisters.

CHAPTER VI.

"The love of money is the root of all evil."

"Yes, Mr. McAllister, there is no choice. The estates are so left by the
old lord that unless you marry your cousin you can have no part of them.
An empty title you will have, to be sure; much good that is to anyone
nowadays! In case of your refusing the conditions imposed upon you by the
late lord's will, which Lady McAllister is determined to see faithfully
carried out, my advice to you is to stay here and remain a fisherman all
your life. A pleasant prospect that for a young fellow o