"Miss Everard, I beg you many pardons," exclaimed the smuggler captain. "My scoundrels are unable to distinguish one person from another. If you will allow me I will accompany you some way on your road, so that I may protect you from any similar annoyances." Saying this the captain sent for his horse, which he immediately mounted, and rode alongside Mabel through the remainder of the forest. "I must ask your confidence, Miss Everard," he said; "I am an especial friend of your father's. Indeed, I owe my life to his courage and gallantry, and I shall be thankful of an opportunity to render you any service in my power." "I know, sir, what you say is true," observed Paul, glancing at the stranger. "I remember your coming to Stanmore that sad night, when Miss Lucy was taken ill, and I was close by when Captain Everard and you were speaking together. Are you not Captain Rochard?" "You are right, my friend," said the stranger. "By that name Captain Everard knew me. Necessity, and not my will, compels me to associate with these people," he continued; "not for the sake of making money, but for another motive, believe me. You do not suppose that your father would allow me his friendship did he believe that I was the leader of a band of outlaws. I may some day tell you my motives of associating with these men. To your father I owe my life, and that alone would make me take an interest in you, young lady; but I may also tell you that I have another reason. We are related, although not very nearly. Your father's mother was a relation of my father. I never saw her, for she died when I was very young; indeed, I am but a few years older than your father." "You related to us? You know then the facts of the marriage of my grandfather to my grandmother. How little did I expect to hear this. You may be of the very greatest assistance to us." Captain Rochard assured Mabel that it would be a great satisfaction to him to be so. She then told him of the loss of the certificate, and the successful scheme which their relative Mr. Sleech had set up for obtaining possession of the property. "For my own sake," she observed, "I care little for what has occurred; but it will be a bitter thing for my father when he returns to find that he has been deprived of the property he thought his own." Captain Rochard was silent for some minutes; then turning to Paul, he asked suddenly-- "Do you know in what year the colonel's brother married?"