the house, interspersed with yellow bracken and other beautiful leaves, in every varied shade of their autumn glory.  Jack’s mother was evidently a woman of taste.  She had a quiet, gentle face, almost sad at times when it was at rest; but she had Jack’s eyes and Jack’s bright smile, which lighted up her face, as a burst of brilliant sunshine will stream suddenly down a dark valley, and make it a perfect avenue of light.

I enjoyed the company of both husband and wife exceedingly, and as we sat round the table and chatted over our supper all feeling of constraint passed away, and I no longer heard the words of that question which had so troubled me all day long.  He did not mention the object for which I had come whilst the meal was going on.  We talked of Runswick Bay and its surroundings, of the fishermen and their life of danger; we spoke of the children, and of my picture, of my hopes with regard to the Royal Academy, and of many other interesting topics.

Then the cloth was removed, and we drew near the fire.  I had just said to him, ‘Now for your story,’ and he was just beginning to tell it, when, as I sat down in an arm-chair which Nellie had placed for me by the fire, my eye fell upon a photograph which was hanging in a frame close to the fireplace.  I started from my seat and looked at it.  Surely I could not be mistaken!  Surely I knew every feature of it, every fold of the dress, every tiny detail in the face and figure.  It was the counterpart of a picture which hung opposite my bed in my London home.

‘However on earth did you get that?’ I cried.  ’Why, it’s my mother’s picture!’

I think I have never felt more startled than I did at that moment.  After all the thoughts of yesterday, after my dream of last night, after all my recollection of my mother’s words to me, and her prayers for me—­after all this, to see her dear eyes looking at me from the wall of the house of this unknown man, in this remote, out-of-the-world spot, almost frightened me.

I did not realize at first that my host was almost as much startled as I was.

‘Your mother!’ he repeated; ’your mother!  Surely not!  Do you mean to tell me,’ he said, laying his hand on my arm, ’that your name is Villiers?’

‘Of course it is,’ I said; ‘Jack Villiers.’

‘Nellie, Nellie,’ he cried, for she had gone upstairs to the children, ’come down at once; who do you think this is, Nellie?  You will never guess.  It is Jack Villiers, the little Jack you and I used to know so well.  Why, do you know,’ he said, ’our own little Jack was named after you; he was indeed, and we haven’t heard of you for years—­never since your dear mother died.’

I was too much astonished at first to ask him any questions, and he was too much delighted to explain where and how he had known me; but after a time, when we had recovered ourselves a little, we drew our chairs round the fire, and he began his story.