* *

As the young man gained the middle of the path which led to the Heath,
he met Sir Richard returning from the village. It was no part of his
plan to seek an interview with the man whom his mother had so deeply
wronged, and he would have slunk past in the gloom; but seeing him thus
alone returning to a desolated home, the prodigal was tempted to utter
some words of farewell and of regret. To his astonishment, however, Sir
Richard passed swiftly on, with body bent forward as one in the act of
falling, and with eyes unconscious of surroundings, staring straight
into the distance. Half-terrified at this strange appearance, Richard
hurried onward, and at a turn of the path stumbled upon something which
horribly accounted for the curious action of the old man. A dead body
lay upon its face in the heather; beside it was a heavy riding whip
stained at the handle with blood, and an open pocket-book. Richard took
up the book, and read, in gold letters on the cover, "Lord Bellasis."

The unhappy young man knelt down beside the body and raised it.
The skull had been fractured by a blow, but it seemed that life yet
lingered. Overcome with horror--for he could not doubt but that his
mother's worst fears had been realized--Richard knelt there holding his
murdered father in his arms, waiting until the murderer, whose name he
bore, should have placed himself beyond pursuit. It seemed an hour to
his excited fancy before he saw a light pass along the front of the
house he had quitted, and knew that Sir Richard had safely reached his
chamber. With some bewildered intention of summoning aid, he left the
body and made towards the town. As he stepped out on the path he heard
voices, and presently some dozen men, one of whom held a horse, burst
out upon him, and, with sudden fury, seized and flung him to the ground.

At first the young man, so rudely assailed, did not comprehend his own
danger. His mind, bent upon one hideous explanation of the crime, did
not see another obvious one which had already occurred to the mind of
the landlord of the Three Spaniards.

"God defend me!" cried Mr. Mogford, scanning by the pale light of
the rising moon the features of the murdered man, "but it is Lord
Bellasis!--oh, you bloody villain! Jem, bring him along here, p'r'aps
his lordship can recognize him!"

"It was not I!" cried Richard Devine. "For God's sake, my lord say--"
then he stopped abruptly, and being forced on his knees by his