e mare, who was put into
the care of the old servant who had most experience in the matter
of horse flesh, and felt no uneasiness at the vagaries and tantrums
of her ladyship.

Then Tom turned to enter the familiar hall, his hand upon his
mother's shoulder, Rachel clinging to his other arm.

"O Tom!" she cried, "have you come back to us for good? Have you
had enough of gay London town?"

There was already a traveller's meal set out in the warm south
parlour, and the servants were hurrying to and fro with eager zeal
and excitement. Tom was pushed into a seat by his sister, and
helped with no unsparing hand; whilst the mother hung over him,
eager not to lose a single word.

"Yes, truly, for the time being I have had enough of London town,"
answered Tom; "although it is a monstrous fine city, and I should
well like to see it again, as indeed I may. But for the moment I am
on my way to foreign lands, as my father wished. I am like to have
work to do there for my lord of Marlborough, whose coming to this
country has set all the town in a commotion, as perchance you have
heard."

They had heard something of it even at Gablehurst; and Rachel
eagerly asked Tom if he had seen the great Duke.

"Oh, many times," answered Tom, with the complacency of one who
feels himself a great man in his present surroundings. "I witnessed
many pageants in which he took part; and I was of the same company
at the house of my Lord Craven, and was presented to him, and had
speech with him!"

Mother and sister were impressed and surprised; but yet Tom was so
great a personage in their estimation that perhaps they took this
piece of news more quietly than more enlightened dames would have
done. They made him tell his story from end to end, sitting with
his feet towards the hearth, the cheery glow of the fire warming
his limbs and imparting a sense of well-being and homelike comfort.

"And who is this Lord Claud, who has shown you so much kindness?"
asked the mother, when the outlines of the story at least had
become known to them.

"That I cannot rightly tell you," answered Tom; "there is some
mystery about his birth and name. He goes everywhere, and is
received by the best and finest people of the town, short of the
court circle. And even my lord of Marlborough exchanged civilities
with him, and let him present me as his friend. But more than that
I cannot tell you, nor can any man in town. If it be a secret, it
is mightily well kept. A