ave had known.

Ezra Gold saw the chance encounter through the window, and watched the
pair as they shook hands. They walked away together, for they were bound
in the same direction, and the old man rose from his seat and walked to
the window to look after them.

"Well, well, lad," he said, speaking half aloud, after the fashion of
men who spend much of their time alone, "theert beauty and goodness
theer, I fancy. Go thy ways, lad, and be happy."

They were out of sight already, and Ezra, with his hands folded behind
him, paced twice or thrice along the room. Pausing before one of the
green baize bags, he lifted it from its nail, and having untied the
string that fastened it, he drew forth with great tenderness an unstrung
violin, and, carrying it to the light, sat down and turned it over
and over in his hands. Then he took the neck with his left hand, and,
placing the instrument upright upon his knee, caressed it with his
right.

"Poor lass," he said, "a' might think as thee was grieved to have had
ne'er a soul to sing to all these years. I've a half mind to let thee
have a song now, but I doubt thee couldst do naught but screech at
me. I've forgotten how to ask a lady of thy make to sing. Shalt go to
Reuben, lass; he'll mek thee find thy voice again. Rare and sweet it
used to be--rare and sweet."

He fell into a fit of coughing which shook him from head to foot, but
even in the midst of the paroxysm he made shift to lay down the violin
with perfect tenderness. When the fit was over he lay back in his chair
with his arms depending feebly at his sides, panting a little, but
smiling like a man at peace.

CHAPTER V.

These had been a long spell of fair weather, and the Earl of Barfield
had carried on his warfare against all and sundry who permitted the
boughs of their garden trees to overhang the public highway, for a
space of little less than a month. The campaign had been conducted
with varying success, but the old nobleman counted as many victories as
fights, and was disposed, on the whole, to be content with himself. He
was an old and experienced warrior in this cause, and had learned to
look with a philosophic eye upon reverses.

But on the day following that which saw the introduction of his
lordship's parliamentary nominee to the quartette party, his lordship
encountered a check which called for all the resources of philosophy. He
was routed by his own henchman, Joseph Beaker.

The defeat arrived