"I will follow him at once then," said Owen. "I can easily get to his house before dark, and I should not like to let another day pa.s.s without seeing him."

Owen, however, found it difficult to get away before he had answered the numerous questions which Mr Tarwig put to him. None of his letters had been received, and it was therefore supposed that he had been lost in the "Druid," which ship had never been heard of since she had sailed.

"You may depend upon having your old berth here as soon as you like,"

said Mr Tarwig; "but I am afraid, Mr Owen, seeing you have become an officer in the navy, that you will not be so willing as formerly to take it, though your hand, I'll warrant, has not lost its cunning."

"I intend to act as Mr Fluke wishes, and therefore cannot say what I may do," answered Owen, feeling, however, that he should be very unwilling to go back to his old occupation.

For once in a way all the clerks in the office were idle, as Owen went round to shake hands with them. He then hurried off, and walked at a quick pace through the well-known streets. As he pa.s.sed the spot where he had first met Reginald Ashurst the whole scene came vividly before his mind, he could even picture the countenance of the elder brother, whom he now knew to have been Lord Arlingford.

On reaching Mr Fluke's house he hesitated for a moment to consider whether his unexpected appearance might not injuriously agitate his old friend. "I must leave it to Kezia to tell him. I can safely do that,"

he thought. "She is a strong-minded woman, and glad as she will be to see me, she, at all events, will not go into hysterics."

He rapped at the door, hoping that Kezia would answer the summons herself. He was not mistaken. She opened it and stood gazing at him, looking exactly as she had done when he last saw her.

"Speak, speak, who are you?" she at length exclaimed.

Scarcely had Owen opened his lips to p.r.o.nounce his name, than she threw her arms around his neck.

"I knew, I knew it!" she cried out, and burst forth into an uncontrollable fit of crying, followed by one of laughter, as she hugged him again and again to her bosom. Strong-minded as Mrs Kezia was, she possessed a woman's affectionate heart, and if she had never been in hysterics before, she was undoubtedly on this occasion. She very soon gained the mastery over herself, however.

"What a fool I am; but you will not tell him of it, Owen," she said, "or he will be putting his back up at me."

Looking out into the garden, where Mr Fluke was in earnest confabulation with Joseph, Owen promised Kezia to say nothing about the demonstrative way in which she had received him.

"I should be very ungrateful if I did," he added. "And how is Mr Fluke? Shall I go to him, or will you tell him I have arrived?"

"I will go to him," she answered, "for though he has got a heart of some sort, it may be like his outside, a little withered. He took on sadly when he thought you were lost, and as he has been rather shaky lately, it might upset him if he were to see you suddenly."

"Do, then, my dear Mrs Kezia, tell him that I have come, and am the same Owen Hartley that was when I went away, although I have got some strange things to talk to him about," said Owen.

"Well, then, go into the parlour, and wait until I fetch him," said Mrs Kezia, and she hurried out into the garden, nearly falling down the steps in her eagerness.

Owen would have liked to watch her while she communicated the news of his arrival. He had some time to wait before he heard her voice calling him. He at once went out; Mr Fluke was at the further end of the garden.

"I got him down there before I told him nat a young gentleman had come to see him, and that although he was a good deal bigger than Owen, and dressed in a naval uniform, that to my mind he was no one else. Even now he is not quite certain whether or not he is to see you."

"You have acted prudently, as you always do, Mrs Kezia," said Owen.

Mr Fluke looked at Owen, and then began to walk towards him, increasing his pace until he broke almost into a run. His limbs refused to obey the impulse of his feelings.

"Can it be? No! It is impossible! But yet, I don't know. Yes! It is Owen Hartley. It must be! Owen, my boy, are you really come back?"

These expressions burst from the old man's lips as he hurried forward.

He grasped Owen's hands, gazing up into his face. Owen was now upwards of a head taller.

"Are you yourself? Don't mock me, Owen."

"I am indeed myself," answered Owen, smiling as he spoke. "Most grateful I am for the kind way in which you have received me, after I had played truant so many long years; but I could not have come back before, unless you had sent for me, and I have received no letters since I left home."

For a few minutes they stood talking, when, after Owen had exchanged greetings with Joseph Crump, he accompanied Mr Fluke into the parlour, where Kezia was busily employed in preparing supper.

"You need not be afraid of depriving him of his supper by not eating as much as you want," she said, nodding her head to Owen. "I've got plenty for both of you." Then turning to Mr Fluke, she added, "You must get off your boots, here are your slippers, and then Owen will tell you all about himself, and I'll warrant there will be something worth listening to."

Kezia was as good as her word, an ample supper being placed on the table. Mr Fluke ate but sparingly. Owen saw that he was eager to hear his adventures. He ran over them as rapidly as he could, dwelling only on the more important points. Occasionally Mr Fluke stopped him to ask a question, then said, "Go on, go on."

When Owen got to the account of the confession made by Reginald Ashurst and his death, Mr Fluke paid the greatest attention.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "there is something in that. Lord Arlingford; yes, I remember there was some doubt as to who was the rightful heir, and that the name of the family was originally Hartley. How your grandfather or father never came to put in a claim, I don't know. It is just possible that they never heard about the matter. They were poor, and the other Hartleys had money at command. That makes all the difference. We shall now see what another generation can do; although possession is nine parts of the law, yet the chances are that the present Lord Arlingford has not much at command to dispute your claims, should he not have a right to the t.i.tle and estates."

As Kezia had supposed, Mr Fluke continued talking or listening until it was far later than he was accustomed to retire for the night. She at length came in.

"I have given you an hour's grace," she exclaimed. "You will be fit for nothing to-morrow if you don't go up to bed."

"She knows best," said Mr Fluke, looking at Owen, and taking the candle which Kezia handed to him; "every one obeys her in this house."

After Mr Fluke had gone to his room, Owen gratified Kezia's curiosity by giving her an outline of his adventures. When he told her of the possibility of his inheriting the Arlingford estates she almost gasped for breath.

"You, Owen, you become a lord!" she exclaimed. "It may be pleasant, and will be pleasant, if you do succeed; but have you thought, my boy, of the disappointment should you fail? I cannot say that I am the happier for what you tell me, except that I shall be glad for you not to have to go back to the office or to follow a sea life; but, Owen, whatever happens, you will not forget Kezia Crump?"

"Indeed I will not," said Owen, taking her hand; "you have ever been a true friend to me, and the way you received me to-day proves your affection, which I shall never forget."

The next morning Mr Fluke announced his intention of staying at home that he might have time to discuss matters with his young friend.

Owen's first task was to write to David Rowe, requesting that he would come up at once to London at Mr Fluke's desire. Owen also wrote to John, giving him a sketch of his adventures, though he did not mention the object for which he wished to see David. In spite of slow coaches, within three days David Rowe appeared at Mr Fluke's office, where Owen had gone to meet him.

"You'll want money to carry out this undertaking," said Mr Fluke, turning to David; "draw on me for all you require. From the report of your friend here I will trust you, and that's more than Simon Fluke would say to every man."

"If our friend Owen has the right, we shall succeed, for right and might in this case go together, as you, Mr Fluke, supply the might," said David, slapping his pockets.

David having received his instructions, set about the necessary preliminaries without a moment's delay.

Owen begged for leave of absence for one day to fulfil his promise to Captain Aggett, by visiting his widow, who lived some way from London.

"I am thankful, most thankful for what you tell me, Mr Hartley," she exclaimed, "that he died in peace as a Christian. Though I shall see him no more on earth, we shall, I know, meet in heaven." It was a satisfaction to Owen to feel that his visit had brought comfort to the heart of his kind friend's widow, to whom he was afterwards able to render the material a.s.sistance her husband had expressed his anxiety to afford her.

Mr Fluke returned every day at an unusually early hour from the office that he might have more of Owen's society.

Owen had mentioned his two naval friends. "Bring them here to dinner,"

said Mr Fluke. "Kezia shall prepare a feast, for they deserve it, and I'll show them my tulips."

Owen found both Lieutenant Leigh and Langton, who had received his promotion, at their lodgings. They willingly accepted his invitation, when he explained who Mr Fluke was, and how much depended on him.

Kezia took care to have a handsome dinner, and a man-servant to wait, and had, moreover, induced her master to put on a new suit and wig, so that when Owen came in he scarcely knew him. The two officers undertook to remain within call in case their evidence should be required at the trial.

They had just taken their places at dinner when David Rowe was announced. Having paid his respects to the master of the house, shaking hands with Owen, and made his bow to the other guests, he took his seat.

"I do not want to spoil anybody's appet.i.te, and I hope good news won't do that," he said, "for good news, and wonderful news, I have to communicate. Have I your leave to make it known in the presence of these gentlemen, Mr Fluke?"