d in Canada."

She stopped short.

Where?

"In Canada, on the banks of Lake Ono, if you know where that is," he
answered, looking at her in surprise.

She resumed her usual pace, but he noticed that she was pale.

"So Lord Arranmore was in Canada?" she said. "Do you know how long
ago?"

"About ten years, I suppose," he answered. "How long before that I do
not know."

She was silent for several minutes, and they found themselves in the
drive leading to the Bullsom villa. Brooks was curious.

"I wonder," he asked, "whether you will tell me why you are interested
in Lord Arranmore--and Canada?"

"I was born in Montreal," she answered, "and I once saw some one very
much like Lord Arranmore there. But I am convinced that it could only
have been a resemblance."

"You mentioned it before--when we saw him in Mellor's," he remarked.

"Yes, it struck me then," she admitted. "But I am sure that Lord
Arranmore could not have been the person whom I am thinking about. It
is ridiculous of me to attach so much importance to a mere likeness."

They stood upon the doorstep, but she checked him as he reached out for
the bell.

"You have seen quite a good deal of him," she said. "Tell me what you
think of Lord Arranmore." His hand fell to his side. He stood under the
gas-bracket, and she could see his face distinctly. There was a slight
frown upon his forehead, a look of trouble in his grey eyes.

"You could not have asked me a more difficult question," he admitted.
"Lord Arranmore has been very kind to me, although my claim upon him has
been of the slightest. He is very clever, almost fantastic, in some of
his notions; he is very polished, and his manners are delightful. He
would call himself, I believe, a philosopher, and he is, although it
sounds brutal for me to say so, very selfish. And behind it all I
haven't the faintest idea what sort of a man he is. Sometimes he gives
one the impression of a strong man wilfully disguising his real
characteristics, for hidden reasons; at others, he is like one of those
brilliant Frenchmen of the last century, who toyed and juggled with
words and phrases, esteeming it a triumph to remain an unread letter
even to their intimates. So you see, after all," he wound up, "I cannot
tell you what I think of Lord Arranmore."

"You can ring the bell," she said. "You must come in for a few
minutes."

Their entrance together seemed to cause the little family party a
certain amount of distu