"Why, Ande, my dear lad! This is a surprise! How you have grown! Why, lad, where have you been all these years? And this is your friend?" With his kindly, fatherly greeting, he shook hands warmly, and then turned to the other stranger. "More than friend," said Ande. "And do you not know me?" smilingly said the old Major, as he advanced with outstretched hands. The rector passed his hand o'er his forehead once or twice, as he scrutinised the stranger, and then,-- "What! Impossible! Yes--No--Yes, it must be he. My old friend and school-fellow, Thomas Trembath! Well, well, well, well!" and the old parson upset a pile of books in his eagerness to reach the Major. Tears of delight were in his eyes as he flung open the study door and called, "Harriet! Harriet!" His wife, a pleasant old lady, soon came in. "Harriet, do you know these two gentlemen?" The genial old parson was smiling, and rubbing his hands in delight. "Ah, I thought you wouldn't. This is our old friend, Major Thomas Trembath, and this is his son, Ande." "Goodness me!" exclaimed Harriet, as she cordially welcomed them, and entered into her husband's pleasure. "And now come in and have a cup of tea. Breakfast is about ready?" said the parson aside to his wife, inquiringly, and receiving an affirmative answer, notwithstanding protests that they had already breakfasted, the Major and his son were ushered into the little breakfast room, where, over the tea table, the parson related the facts of Squire Vivian's sickness, and how both Manor and cottage had passed into the hands of the Lanyans. He mentioned the fatal letter that had caused the squire's death, and brought it forth, and mentioned both the disappearance of Mrs. Trembath and Mistress Alice Vivian. If ever Ande swore revenge in his heart it was during that narrative, in which all the brutal plans of Sir James Lanyan were revealed in a plain, unvarnished manner. Woe betide James Lanyan or his, if their paths crossed. "I am glad he and his are not of my parish," said the old parson; "but now tell me of your experience and wandering." The Major briefly narrated his wanderings, to which Ande added a short sketch of his own, with the exception of his good fortunes in the gold and diamond regions of Brazil. "Wonderful!" exclaimed the old parson, and then as a sudden thought struck him. "But now you must find Mrs. Trembath, and I would suggest that you would find some news of her, no doubt, at Helston, for this is the Floraday. Ah! there are the bells of old St. Michael, now, and in a short time the town will be crowded with people from far and near to keep the old festival. You will get news of her from some one." "That I will," said the old Major, as he arose from the table. "That I will; and if I fail there, I shall search through every town of Cornwall."