‘Had we a closer acquaintance with the parties concerned!’ murmured Logan.

‘You must come and visit us at Rookchester,’ said the Earl.  ’In any case I am most anxious to know better one whose ancestor was so closely connected with my own.  We shall examine my documents under the tuition of the lady you mentioned, Miss Willoughby, if she will accept the hospitality of a kinsman.’

Logan murmured acquiescence, and again asked permission to consult Merton, which was granted.  The Earl then shook hands and departed, obviously somewhat easier in his mind.

This remarkable conversation was duly reported by Logan to Merton.

‘What are we to do next?’ asked Logan.

’Why you can do nothing but reconnoitre.  Go down to Rookchester.  It is in Northumberland, on the Coquet—­a pretty place, but there is no fishing just now.  Then we must ask Lord Embleton to meet Miss Willoughby.  The interview can be here:  Miss Willoughby will arrive, chaperoned by Miss Blossom, after the Earl makes his appearance.’

’That will do, as far as his bothering old manuscripts are concerned; but how about the real business—­the two undesirable marriages?’

’We must first see how the land lies.  I do not know any of the lovers.  What sort of fellow is Scremerston?’

’Nothing remarkable about him—­good, plucky, vain little fellow.  I suppose he wants money, like the rest of the world:  but his father won’t let him be a director of anything, though he is in the House and his name would look well on a list.’

‘So he wants to marry dollars?’

‘I suppose he has no objection to them; but have you seen Miss Bangs?’

‘I don’t remember her,’ said Merton.

’Then you have not seen her.  She is beautiful, by Jove; and, I fancy, clever and nice, and gives herself no airs.’

‘And she has all that money, and yet the old gentleman objects!’

‘He can not stand the bristles and lard,’ said Logan.

’Then the Prince of Scalastro—­him I have come across.  You would never take him for a foreigner,’ said Merton, bestowing on the Royal youth the highest compliment which an Englishman can pay, but adding, ’only he is too intelligent and knows too much.’

‘No; there is nothing the matter with him,’ Logan admitted—­’nothing but happening to inherit a gambling establishment and the garden it stands in.  He is a scientific character—­a scientific soldier.  I wish we had a few like him.’

‘Well, it is a hard case,’ said Merton.  ’They all seem to be very good sort of people.  And Lady Alice Guevara?  I hardly know her at all; but she is pretty enough—­tall, yellow hair, brown eyes.’

‘And as good a girl as lives,’ added Logan.  ‘Very religious, too.’

‘She won’t change her creed?’ asked Merton.

‘She would go to the stake for it,’ said Logan.  ’She is more likely to convert the Prince.’