ind out about him--where he is and what
doing. The fact that he has never applied to you for help, is, as I
said before, a point in his favour. He may have carved out a position
for himself--may be of use in the world by his life and example.
Anyway, give him a chance."

"But if I find just the reverse? What if I find him a thoroughly
hardened and disreputable scamp?"

"Then I have nothing further to urge. But somehow I have an instinct
that you will find him nothing of the sort."

A perceptible brightening came over the old man's face. The priest had
struck the right chord in saying that Hilary Blachland had been to his
friend rather as an only son than as a nephew, and now the thought of
having him at his side again was apparent in the lighting up of his
face. Then his countenance fell again.

"It's all very well to say `Find out Hilary,'" he said. "But how is it
to be done? We last heard of him from South Africa. He was trading in
the interior with the natives. Seemed to like the life and could make a
little at it."

"Well, there you are. You can soon find out about him. Although
covering a vast area in the vague region geographically defined as South
Africa, the European population is one of those wherein everybody knows
everybody else, or something about them. Send Percival out. The trip
would do him a world of good. You need not tell him its precise object
in every particular, I mean of course that he is sent out there to
report. But let him know that he is to find Hilary, and he will throw
himself into it heart and soul. Then his indirect report will tell us
all we want to know."

"By Jove, Canon, that is sound judgment, and I'll act upon it!" cried
Sir Luke eagerly. "What on earth are your people about that they don't
make you a Cardinal Archbishop? Send Percival! Why, that'll be the
very thing. I shall miss the boy though, while he's away, but oh,
confound it, yes--I would like to see that other scamp again before I
die. Here--this can go in the fire," throwing the draft document into
the grate and stirring it up with the poker to make it burn. "We'll
send Percival. Ha! That sounds like his step. Shall we say anything
to him now about it? Yes. Here he is."

CHAPTER TWO.

A WAFT OF STRANGE NEWS.

"I say, Uncle Luke. Do you happen to be aware that it's jolly well
tiffin time--Hallo, Canon! Didn't know you were here. How are you?"

He who thus unceremoniously burst i