He continued his pacings and mutterings for a long while, growing more and more excited over the matter. His face wore a dark and troubled look as ever and anon he raised that scrap of paper which he still held in his hand and scanned those disjointed lines. At last he folded it very carefully and put it safely away in his wallet. “It may come handy some day even if the other half is wanting,” he said, an evil smile curling his lips. Then he set about finishing the exploration of the little cottage. There was a little hall leading from one end of the parlor and a flight of stairs conducted to the second story. Ascending these Everet found two comfortably furnished chambers above, one of which had evidently been used for a servant’s room. Retracing his steps he came to the front door, which he found fastened with a spring lock. He then went back to the kitchen, where he securely bolted the door, after which he passed out the front way, the lock springing into place with a sharp snap after him, as if in vigorous protest at his intrusion upon the mysteries which it had guarded for so many years. Passing out of the little gate, he fastened it after him, then mounted his horse and rode slowly and thoughtfully back to Vue de l’Eau. CHAPTER XXI. AN OCTOGENARIAN INTERVIEWED. The following morning, bright and early, Everet Mapleson was en route to Richmond. His object was to visit an old lady who resided there, and who knew all about the Maplesons for the last three generations, for he believed she would be able to throw some light on Annie Dale’s history. She resided in a quiet, old-fashioned street, and her family consisted of one servant, her cat, dog, canary and parrot. Everet found her in her dining-room, surrounded by her pets, and looking as contented and benignant as if she had been in the midst of as many children. “Aha!” she exclaimed, looking at his card as Everet followed the servant into the room, “you must be the son of William Mapleson; he married Estelle Everet, and I see they have combined the two names: quite a good idea, young man, and not a badly sounding title, either. And how is my friend, the colonel, your handsome lady mother, too?—at least she was handsome the last time I saw her.” The young man informed the loquacious old lady that both his parents were well, and were at present enjoying the gayeties of a season at Newport. “And they’ve left you at home to look after the plantation, eh? That is rather reversing the order of things, isn’t it? Most young people think they must have the good times, while the old people stay at home.” “No, I have not been left; it was my own preference to remain,” Everet told her. “You know, Miss Southern, I have not been at Vue de l’Eau very much during the last four years, and so it is quite a relief to be at home for a little while.”