Page:A strange, sad comedy (IA strangesadcomedy00seawiala).pdf/254

242 blanque, and harangued to Letty privately upon Romaine's deuced unchivalric conduct to a noble, attractive, and blameless woman. This excellent man had accepted Madame de Fonblanque at her face value. Letty was more worldly wise than the Colonel, but she, too, had fallen a victim to Madame de Fonblanque's charms and was only too ready to think Mr. Romaine a brute.

After a delightful day, spent chiefly in the comfortable old library, where they could bid defiance to the cold and snow without, a wholly unexpected visitor turned up just at nightfall. A loud knock at the front door, much yelping of dogs and stamping of booted feet announced an arrival.

There had been an understanding that Sir Archy was to repeat his visit later in the winter. He was liable to arrive at any day, and when the commotion in the large and dusky hall was heard, the Colonel only voiced the general impression of the group around the library fire when he said:

"It is no doubt our kinsman, Sir Archibald." But it was not "Sir Archibald"—and the next minute Farebrother came walking in, as if he had just been around the corner. His