But you will let me offer you something--at least a glass of wine ?" But Maurice had now got all he wanted.

He just glanced at the precious paper, put it away safely, declined Mrs.Wynter's offers, and was out of the house and on his way back to Chester in a very short space of time.
"What an odd thing!" Mrs.Wynter said as she settled herself comfortably in the easy-chair again.
"Who was he, mamma?
What did he want ?" "He was a Canadian friend of your cousin Mary's wanting her address." "What! come over from Canada on purpose ?" "It almost seemed like it, though that could not be, I suppose, for here is his address--'Maurice Leigh Beresford, Hunsdon, Norfolk.'" "Beresford ?" said the widow, "Why the Beresfords of Hunsdon are great people--very grand people, indeed.

I used to know something of them." "Did he look like a grand person, mamma ?" "He seemed a gentleman, certainly.

I know no more." "Was he young or old ?" "Young." "Handsome or ugly ?" "Need he be either ?" "Of course.

Which, mamma ?" "Not ugly, decidedly.