When I went up to my room that same evening, I perceived that the little black trunk had arrived. I opened it eagerly, but searched in vain for a letter. A fact, however, struck me. It contained the portfolio of Italian drawings placed there by another hand than mine. I turned them over with a vague hope. I found nothing but a stray scrap of paper, which I took to the light. It was one of those rude and hasty sketches with which artists write down passing ideas: yet, imperfect as it was, I recognised at a glance the well I had so recently seen and visited. A female figure, in which I knew myself, sat by it with her hand shading her eyes, as if watching for something or some one; the disk of the sun, half sunk behind the far horizon and sending forth low spreading rays, indicated the close of day. Evidently Cornelius knew this place and wished me to meet him there at sunset. When? Most probably on the following day. My heart leaped with joy at the thought of seeing him so soon, and with trust and hope on perceiving how faithfully he kept his promise. CHAPTER XI. My first act the next morning was to go and see my grandfather. He received me with a sufficiently cordial growl, and confident, I suppose, of the good understanding between us, no longer kept up the pretence of rheumatic pains in my presence. I again read and transcribed for several hours, at the end of which Mr. Thornton was pleased to say--"I might be off if I liked;" and reminded me not to forget "that Chaos and Creation--" Wishing to sound him still further, I replied-- "Oh! no. I hope to find it before I go." "Eh?" he sharply said. "Before I go with Mr. O'Reilly," I resumed, "he means to stay another week or ten days here." "Who said you were to go with him?" asked Mr. Thornton. "No one. But surely, Sir, you will not care to keep an insignificant girl like me?" He did not answer; I continued. "It would be a great deal better to go with him, than to make him come back and fetch me." "I'll tell you what," interrupted Mr. Thornton, knitting his black brows and looking irate: "if that Irishman, who sent the little girl to school, and who gives the young girl such queer looks, attempts to carry you off, he'll rue it as long as he lives. I'll teach him," he added, impressively, "the meaning of the word 'abduction.' See 9th of George IV." "Abduction. Sir," I said, reddening, "means carrying off by force." "And the law construes fraud into force," coolly answered Mr. Thornton. "See 9th of George IV." I was much perturbed by this threat. Mr. Thornton did not appear to see or notice it, and dismissed me with another hint about "Chaos and Creation."