"Why, yes and no. Never to stay long, yet often in going and coming for a brief converse at the door." "Dost thou like him?" "Faith, Margaret, I think I have no place in my heart warm enough for liking, save of old friends; but Cecil is overjoyed to see him, and Father White oft sends him here of an errand." "'Tis easy to see why." "Yes, thou art shrewd as ever, Margaret. Father White would be glad to see me wed now that he has returned to the bosom of Holy Church after long wandering. He accompanies the Father on his missions, and renders much service as interpreter. Ingle himself has given up all thought of marriage, but would fain be our true friend, and asked me this morning to consider of him as a tenant at Cecil Manor." "Be thine own tenant, Cousin. Trust me, 'tis safer." "Ay, so I think, and so I have decided. I am very ignorant, but the manor cannot be ready for habitation till next year, and ere a year is over I hope to learn much." "And I will help thee. Count upon me. Ah, Cecil, how fares it with thee?" "I do well, Couthin Margaret, yet I like not St. Mary's as well as St. Gabriel's, and in the summer 'twill be worth." "In the summer thou and thy mother are to come to me at Kent Island. What fine breeches thou dost wear, Cecil!" "Ay, they are my best, and donned for thee." "And with such pretty points, knowst thou any other that wears points as fine?" "Why, Couthin Giles hath points of azure silk with tags of silver, and Counthillor Neale wears rich ribbon points tipped with crystal, and the other day I saw an Indian, and on his blanket was fastened a single point of green silk, and--what think you?--the tag was of wrought gold with an emerald in the end. It made me laugh to see it worn like that. Oh, and, Mother, 'twas the same Indian we saw to-day in the butheth by the Governor's Spring. 'Twath that I strove to tell thee, but thou wouldtht not hear." The two women looked at each other and turned pale. "This Indian--who was he--did ever you see him before?" "Nay, 'twas on the wharf, and he was selling tobacco and shells; none knew him, for I asked." "Margaret, oh, Margaret, surely now we have found the guilty man." "Not so fast, Elinor! The Indian got that point of a white man. The question is, was it before or after the murder." The smile faded out of Elinor Calvert's face, and she drew a deep sigh. "Only another blind lead," she murmured. "Only another link in the chain," said Margaret. "Be of good cheer. You and I are not women to fail in an undertaking into which we have put our whole hearts. Depend upon it, we shall trace the owner of the emerald tag yet." CHAPTER XIX THE ROLLING YEAR "Is he better to-day?" "Better in body; but for the mind I can see little betterment."