ctor. He stopped suddenly in his walk.

"But--goodness gracious! why have you kept this a secret?" he asked, as
if suddenly recollecting himself.

"My mother," said Claudius, "was too proud to come forward and claim
what my father, but for his untimely death, would have given her in a
few months. As for me, I have been contented in my life, and would have
been unwilling to cause pain to any one by claiming my rights. My mother
died when I was a mere child, and left these papers sealed, directing me
not to open them until I should be twenty-one years old. And so when I
opened them, I made up my mind to do nothing about it."

"It is not easy to understand you, Claudius; but I will swear to
anything you like."

"Thank you; I am very grateful."

"Do not speak of that. I am proud to be of service. By the by, the
present--the present incumbent is childless, I believe. He must be your
father's brother?"

"Yes," said Claudius. "Should he die, I would not hesitate any longer."

"No indeed, I hope not. It is a shame as it is."

"By the by," said Claudius, who had put away his box; "why did you not
go to Newport to-day? I meant to go on to-morrow and meet you there.
This business had put it out of my head."

"Lady Victoria and the Countess both wanted to stay another day."

"Is the Countess ill?" asked Claudius. "Or do you think she would see me
this evening?"

"I do not think there is anything especial the matter. She will very
likely see you after dinner. As for me, I am hungry; I have walked all
over New York this afternoon."

"Very well, let us dine. You know New York, and must select the place."

Arm-in-arm they went away together, and the Duke introduced Claudius to
the glories of Delmonico's.

CHAPTER XIII.

Troubles never come singly; moreover, they come on horseback, and go
away on foot. If Claudius had passed an unpleasant afternoon, the
Countess's day had been darkened with the shadow of a very serious
difficulty. Early in the morning her maid had brought her coffee, and
with it a note in a foreign hand. The maid, who was French, and
possessed the usual characteristics of French maids, had exhausted her
brain in trying to discover who the sender might be. But the missive was
sealed with wax, and a plain "N" was all the impression. So she adopted
the usual expedient of busying herself in the room, while her mistress
opened the note, hoping that some chance exclamation, or even perhaps an
answer