Even when the visitor was gone and the curate was alone he could not return to his manuscript sermon. It was impossible to concentrate his thoughts on the subject. “Ah, well,” he said at last, “I shall have to take out one of my old Medge sermons for Sunday morning. It will be new to these parishioners at least.” And then he closed his desk, sat back in his armchair and gave himself up to the problem that was disturbing his mind. The dispatch from the squire lay on the table before him. The bailiff had inadvertently left it behind him. Mr. Campbell took it up, again read it carefully, and again passed his hand slowly over his forehead to clear away the thick cloud of confusion. The situation seemed inexplicable. There was no doubt that this dispatch, dated this morning, signed Randolph Hay, and announcing the arrival of the squire and of his wife and brother-in-law on this day, was a perfectly genuine article and a very hard fact. There was no doubt, either, that another Randolph Hay, with his wife and friends, had arrived at Haymore Hall in company with the indubitable traveling companion and eyewitness who had reported the fact to the minister’s family. Now what on earth did it all mean? One Squire of Haymore and his wife at Haymore Hall, and another Squire of Haymore and his—lady on their way there! Would the two parties meet to-day, and if so, what then? The only possible theory of the situation, as it presented itself to the minister’s mind, was this, upon which he finally settled—that the Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Hay who had arrived on the preceding evening and were now at the Hall were the real lord and lady of the manor, and that the so-called Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Hay who were expected to arrive to-day were the fraudulent claimants whom he had taken them to be. He had not breathed a syllable of the first arrival to the bailiff, preferring to keep the matter to himself until he should see Samson Longman, who had walked over that morning to Haymore Hall, but would return to the rectory by midday. But the backwoodsman came in a little sooner than he had been expected. He came at once to the study door and rapped. Mr. Campbell bade him enter. Longman’s face was radiant with merriment, and in his hand he carried a letter, which he fondled playfully. “Well, Longman, you have been to see your friends at the Hall?” “Yes, sir.” “Please sit down and tell me all about it.” Longman settled himself in the largest leather chair, put his fur cap down on the floor beside him and fondled his letter. “You found the young squire and his wife quite well after their journey?” “Quite well, sir. And also very much delighted with their new home, which they saw for the first time by daylight this morning.” “Longman, you are sparkling all over with repressed amusement. What is the matter with you?” “Anticipation of an entertainment at the Hall to-day, sir.”