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ESS 223 34 THE PHANTOM OF THE 230 STATION 35 THE QUEST 239 36 IDA'S CONFESSION 247 37 HOPE 252 38 THE CLUE 262 39 THE HONOURABLE PAUPER 270 40 JOY WELL-NIGH 277 INCREDIBLE 41 THE CANADIAN NORTHMOOR 284 42 HUMBLE PIE 290 43 THE STAFF 295
CHAPTER I
HONOURS
'Oh, there's that stick. What can he want?' sighed one of a pair of dignified elderly ladies, in black silk, to the other, as in a quiet country-town street they saw themselves about to be accosted by a man of about forty, with the air of a managing clerk, who came up breathlessly, with a flush on his usually pale cheeks.
'Miss Lang; I beg pardon! May I be allowed a few words with Miss Marshall? I know it is unusual, but I have something unusual to tell her.'
'Nothing distressing, I hope, Mr. Morton,' said one of the ladies, startled.
'Oh no, quite the reverse,' he said, with a nervous laugh; 'in fact, I have unexpectedly come into a property!'
'Indeed!' with great astonishment, 'I congratulate you,' as the colour mounted in his face, pleasant, honest, but with the subdued expression left by long years of patience in a subordinate position.
'May I ask--' began the other sister.
'I hardly understand it yet,' was the answer; 'but I must go to town by the 5.10 train, and I should like her to hear it from myself.'
'Oh, certainly; it does you honour, Mr. Morton.'
They were entering the sweep of one of those large substantial houses on the outskirts of country towns that have a tendency to become boarding-schools, and such had that of the Misses Lang been long before the days of the High School.
'Fortunately it is recreation-time,' said Miss Lang, as she conducted Mr. Morton to the drawing-room, hung round with coloured drawings, in good taste, if stiff, and chiefly devoted to interviews with parents.
'Poor little Miss Marshall!' murmured one sister, when they had shut him in.
'What a loss she will be!'
'She