edral
in Millerton, Ontario, up to the time of his death," murmured Mrs.
Mabyn in her dulcet tones, with the air of one delivering all-sufficient
credentials.

Garth murmured to show that he was suitably impressed.

"You are from New York, I believe," said Mrs. Mabyn.

Garth acknowledged the fact.

"So the newspaper said," she remarked. "Of course, I know very few
Americans, still it is possible we may have common friends. You--er--"
She paused invitingly.

"Hadn't we better explain why we asked Mr. Pevensey to call?" put in
Natalie quietly.

"My dear, Mr. Pevensey was just about to tell me of his people," Mrs.
Mabyn said in tones of gentle reproof.

Garth saw what the old lady would be after. "My father, Lieutenant
Raymond Pevensey, was in the Navy," he said. "He was killed by a powder
explosion on the gunboat _Arkadelphia_, twelve years ago."

"Dear me, how unfortunate!" murmured Mrs. Mabyn sympathetically; but
it rang chillingly, and her abstracted eyes dwelt throughout upon that
relentless thought of hers, whatever it was.

"I am related distantly to the Buhannons of Richmond, and the
Mainwarings of Philadelphia," continued Garth, willing to humour her.

"There was a Mainwaring at Chelsea with my husband as a boy," remarked
Mrs. Mabyn.

"Probably my great-uncle," he said. "In this part of the world," he went
on, "there is no one who knows me beyond mere acquaintanceship, except
the Bishop of Miwasa--"

"Pray say no more, Mr. Pevensey," interrupted Mrs. Mabyn. "The mere fact
that the Bishop invited you to accompany him is, after all, sufficient."
She turned to the girl. "You may continue, dear Natalie."

"We read in this evening's paper," began that young lady with a directness
refreshing after Mrs. Mabyn's circumlocutions; "that you were starting for
Miwasa Landing to-morrow morning, to join the Bishop on his annual tour.
We wished particularly to see you before you started; and that is why
I--why Mrs. Mabyn wrote."

"We thank you for coming so promptly," put in Mrs. Mabyn with her
gracious air.

Garth murmured truthfully that the pleasure was his. He felt himself on
the breathless verge of a discovery. Intuition warned him of what was
coming; but he could not believe it yet.

"Mr. Pevensey," resumed the young lady as if with an effort; she had the
humility of a proud soul who stoops to ask a favour; "we are going to
make a very strange request, as from total strangers."

Mrs. Mabyn raised an