Ran and Mike closed hands cordially at once, while the colonel was shaking hands with Stuart, Palma, and Judy. Then Ran introduced Mike to his cousins, who received him heartily. “And, now, won’t you both sit down and take some breakfast with us?” inquired Stuart and Palma in a breath. “Oh, thank you! I just got up from my breakfast to bring Man here,” said the colonel. “And meself finished before I wint to his honor,” said Mike. “But do not let us disturb you. Pray, go on with your own breakfast,” said Col. Moseley. “Oh, we have done!” replied Stuart, while Palma rang the bell for Mrs. Pole to come and take away the service. A few minutes later they were all seated in the little parlor, which the company of six nearly filled. “And how is the misthress this morning, sir?” inquired Judy of the colonel. “Oh! she has quite recovered from her fatigue and has gone house-hunting with Mrs. Walling.” “And the childher?” “Ah! well and delighted with the great city,” replied Col. Moseley; and as Judy asked no more questions he turned to Ran and said: “I find that you have had very little difficulty in prevailing on the Messrs. Walling to recognize your rights, Hay!” “None whatever, sir; thanks to your strong letter!” replied Ran. “Thanks to your strong proofs, rather. Who could withstand such overwhelming evidence? But, Hay, in none of your letters did you tell us who the rival claimant was, although I asked you to do so.” “I never got your letter containing such a request, sir, or I should have complied with it. The reason why I never volunteered the information was because the subject was a painful one. And, by the way, has not Mr. or Mrs. Walling told you who that impostor was?” “No. I have not had five minutes’ private conversation with them yet. Mrs. Walling may have told my wife by this time.” “Well, colonel, the claimant was, not my Uncle James’ son, as I suspected, but a fraudulent adventurer whom we have known as Gentleman Geff.” “Gentleman Geff! Why, I thought he had been quite killed by the same parties that half killed you, and that his bones were buried in the old fort cemetery!” “So did I. So did we all. But we were mistaken. The body buried in the cemetery for Gentleman Geff’s was not his, but that of some poor victim of border ruffianism, whose identification we shall, perhaps, never discover, and Gentleman Geff is alive and flourishing in stolen plumes on the continent of Europe.” “Tell me all about it!” exclaimed the colonel. And Ran went over the story of Gentleman Geff’s crimes, already so well known to our readers. Col. Moseley listened with grave interest; Mike with open-mouthed wonder, Judy in stupefaction. “I do not know why one should ever be surprised at anything that happens,” mused the colonel. “Bedad, meself is only shurprised that I nivir had the sinse to shuspect it,” remarked Mike.