't give you and your friend the private room, sir, but
there's only one other gentleman in the coffee-room, and he's going
directly."

As they entered, the other gentleman, who was drying his boots at the
fire, turned round, and Mr Ratman had the rapture of finding himself
face to face with Mr Armstrong.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

CAPTAIN OLIPHANT PAYS ONE OF HIS DEBTS.

Mr Ratman's natural modesty prompted a precipitate retreat from the
embarrassing vicinity of the gentleman whom he had last seen with a
horsewhip in his hand; but prudence and the presence of the stranger,
and the lack of any other place to go to, prevailed upon him to remain.

The stranger, apparently unaware of the presence of a third party,
continued his conversation where it had been interrupted.

"Yes," said he, "I reckon I should know something of my own family,
although it's a generation since I set foot in these parts."

"Yes; all right," said Ratman uncomfortably. "I'll go and order
dinner."

But the entrance of the landlord prevented this manoeuvre.

"The gig from Maxfield is in the village, Mr Armstrong," said he,
addressing the tutor. "I've sent word to Robbins to call for you in
half an hour. Maybe, if Mr Ratman is going up, you could give him a
lift."

"Mr Ratman is not going up," said Mr Armstrong.

The stranger here took notice of the tutor.

"Friend of my friend, eh?" said he. "Pleased to know you, sir.
Resident in these parts, I presume? What?"

"Quite so," said Mr Armstrong, putting up his glass, and honouring the
speaker with a minute survey.

"As I was saying to our young friend here, there's been changes in this
locality since I was here about the time of Noah. You named Maxfield
just now, sir. Likely you know Squire Ingleton, my relative, at the
manor-house there?"

The tutor's glass dropped abruptly.

"Your relative? What relation were you to the old Squire?"

"_Was_ I--is he dead, then?"

"More than a year ago."

"Sir," said the stranger, with some excitement, "that man was my
sister's husband. I guess I've come here a trifle late. Dead? He
didn't look to have it in him. What say?"

It said a good deal for Mr Ratman's nerve that in the tutor's presence
he took upon himself to reply boldly--

"My father died rather suddenly a year since. So you are my uncle?"

The American mayor stared at the speaker in bewilderment, which was not
lessened by an abrupt laugh from the gentleman at the fir