“What is that, Sir Frank?” she asked.

Random turned toward her with his pleasant smile.

“My Spanish friend, whom I met at Genoa, is coming here to-morrow.”

“With his daughter?” questioned Mrs. Jasher roguishly.

“Of course,” replied the young soldier, coloring.  “Donna Inez is quite devoted to her father and never leaves him.”

“She will one day, I expect,” said Hope innocently, for his eyes were on his sketch and not on Random’s face, “when the husband of her choice comes along.”

“Perhaps he has come along already,” tittered Mrs. Jasher significantly.

Lucy took pity on Random’s confusion.

“Where will they stay?”

“At the Warrior Inn.  I have engaged the best rooms in the place.  I fancy they will be comfortable there, as Mrs. Humber, the landlady, is a good housekeeper and an excellent cook.  And I don’t think Don Pedro is hard to please.”

“A Spaniard, you say,” remarked Archie idly.  “Does he speak English?”

“Admirably—­so does the daughter.”

“But why does a Spaniard come to so out-of-the-way a place?” asked Mrs. Jasher, after a pause.

“I thought I told you the other day, when we spoke of the matter,” answered Sir Frank with surprise.  “Don Pedro has come here to interview Professor Braddock about that missing mummy.”

Hope looked up sharply.

“What does he know about the mummy?”

“Nothing so far as I know, save that he came to Europe with the intention of purchasing it, and found himself forestalled by Professor Braddock.  Don Pedro told me no more than that.”

“Humph!” murmured Hope to himself.  “Don Pedro will be disappointed when he learns that the mummy is missing.”

Random did not catch the words and was about to ask him what he had said, when two tall figures, conducted by a shorter one, were seen moving on the white road which led to the Fort.

“Strangers!” said Mrs. Jasher, putting up her lorgnette, which she used for effect, although she had remarkably keen sight.

“How do you know?” asked Lucy carelessly.

“My dear, look how oddly the man is dressed.”

“I can’t tell at this distance,” said Lucy, “and if you can, Mrs. Jasher I really do not see why you require glasses.”

Mrs. Jasher laughed at the compliment to her sight, and colored through her rouge at the reproof to her vanity.  Meanwhile, the smaller figure, which was that of a village lad leading a tall gentleman and a slender lady, pointed toward the group round Hope’s easel.  Shortly, the boy ran back up to the village road, and the gentleman came along the pathway with the lady.  Random, who had been looking at them intently, suddenly started, having at length recognized them.

“Don Pedro and his daughter,” he said in an astonished voice, and sprang forward to welcome the unexpected visitors.