o be reunited to his family. He longs for the society of his
wife and daughter. What more natural in a man who feels that his days
are numbered! Lord Polperro bitterly laments the follies of his life
which are explained, Gammon, as you and I know, by the character he
inherited. We know the peculiarities of the Trefoyle family. Some of
them I must not refer to in the presence of a young lady such as Miss
Sparkes." Polly looked at her toes and smirked. "But Lord Polperro's
chief fault seems to have been an insuperable restlessness, which early
took the form of a revolt against the habits and prejudices of
aristocratic life. Knowing so much of that life myself, I must say that
I understand him; that, to a certain extent, I sympathize with him.
When a youth he desired the liberty of a plebeian station, and sought
it under disguises. You must remember that at that time he had very
little prospect of ever succeeding to the title. Let me give you a
little genealogy."

"Needn't trouble," put in Gammon. "I know it all. Got it out of a book.
I'll tell you afterwards, Polly."

"Ah, got it out of a book? Why, you are becoming quite a genealogist,
Gammon, I need only say, then, that he did not give a thought to the
title. He chose to earn his own bread, and live his own life, like
ordinary mortals. He took the name of Clover. Of course, you see why."

"Hanged if I do," said Gammon.

"Why, my dear fellow, are not clover and trefoil the same things? Don't
you see? Trefoyle. Only a little difference of accent."

"Never heard the word. Did you, Polly?"

"Not me."

"Ah! not unnatural. An out-of-the-way word." Greenacre hid his contempt
beneath a smile. "Well now, I repeat that Lord Polperro longs to return
to the bosom of his family. He has even gone in the darkness of the
night to look at his wife's abode, and returned home in misery. A fact!
At this moment--your attention, I beg--I am assisting him to form a
plan by which he will be enabled to live a natural life without the
unpleasantness of public gossip. I do not yet feel at liberty to
describe our project, but it is ripening. What I ask you is this. Will
you trust us? Miss Sparkes, have I your confidence?"

"It's all very well," threw in Gammon, before Polly could reply. "But
what if he drops down dead, as you say he might do? What about his
family then?"

"Gammon," replied the other with great solemnity, "I asked whether I
had your confidence. Do you, or do you not, bel