’There is a very tolerable inn in Zeal, if you do not mind descending a steep hill to reach it—the Oxenham Arms.’ ’Come with me.’ Zeal is a quaint village of one street, that street being the high road from Exeter to Launceston. Since the time of which we treat the high road has been carried by a new line above the village, which has been left on one side forgotten, and has gone quietly to sleep. In the midst of the street stands a small chapel built of granite, and before it an old granite cross mounted on several steps. The houses are of ’cob,’ that is, clay, white-washed and thatched, with projecting chambers over the doorways resting on oak posts or granite pillars. Below the chapel stood the stately mansion of the Burgoynes facing the road, with vaulted porch, mullioned windows, and sculptured doorways. The Burgoyne family has gone, and now there swings over the entrance a board adorned with the arms of the Oxenham family. The manor-house has descended to become the village inn. Into this inn, clean, but humble in its pretensions, Herring introduced the Captain. ’I say, girl,’ called Trecarrel to the maid, ’throw on some logs; the turf only smoulders. And bring me some hot water and rum. I am cold and damp, and altogether dispirited and drooping. Let me have a steak as soon as you can.’ Then to Herring: ’I am put out confoundedly. Ophir will not digest. Tell me candidly your opinion.’ ’You are not treating me fairly,’ said Herring. ’You have no right to ask me this question when you are about to become closely allied to Mr. Trampleasure——’ ’Oh, confound Tramplara. I am not going to marry him, nor his sniffing wife, nor his cub of a son, heaven be praised! nor, better than all, Ophir. Nevertheless I want to know something about Ophir, for though I am going to be allied to the family, I do not want to be linked by so ever small a link to a concern that may smash, least of all to one that is not exactly on the square. What do you make out about the gold mine?’ ’It puzzles me. I have been over it and seen the gold dust washed out of the gozzen.’ ’So have I.’ ’And yet I am not satisfied.’ ’Nor am I.’ ’In the first place, I mistrust the way in which Ophir has been puffed and brought into the market.’ ’I do not believe a word about the Phoenicians,’ said the Captain. ’Again,’ Herring went on, ’who have taken the mine in hand?’ ’That I can tell you. There is Arundell Golitho, Esq. of Trevorgan. Do you know him? You are a Cornish man, bred in its deepest wilds. Does he hail from your parts?’ ’Never heard of him.’ ’Nor has any one else, that I can learn. Then there is the Reverend Israel Flamank, but he counts for nothing. He is a crack-brained preacher, not worth a thousand pounds, and every penny he has he has sunk in Ophir.’ ’Here is another: the Honourable Lawless Lascar. Who is he?’