"I have very little doubt that she does, Jack; but she has never shown any indication of it whatever." "And is her daughter still alive?" "I doubt if even she knows that. She has not heard of her for a great many years." "Does Gracie know anything about it all?" asked Jim. "Not a word; and I see no reason why she should. You two have given her quite enough to think about without troubling her with this matter." They quite agreed with that, and Jack, who had been pondering gloomily, summed up with: "It's all an awful tangle, and I see no way out. It seems to me that it doesn't matter in the least who is who; for even if we learned who our mothers were, we don't know if they were legally married. I'm afraid there is only one thing to be said--and that is, that the one parent we are both certain about was a dishonourable rascal, and we have got to suffer for his sins." "Morals were very much looser then than they are now," said Eager gently. "He was the product of his age. We may at all events be thankful that things have improved, and you two are the proofs thereof." "We'd probably have been no better if you'd never come here," said Jim, with very genuine feeling. "We owe everything to you--and Gracie." "That is so," said Jack heartily; and wished he had said it first, but he had been too fully occupied with the other aspect of the case. "One cannot help wondering," he said presently, "what is going to happen if our father and our grandfather should die. What are we going to do then, Mr. Eager?" "That is a question Sir Denzil and I have often debated, but we never arrived at any conclusion. One of you must be Carron of Carne. There is also another possibility. Lady Susan Sandys was the only sister of the Earl of Quixande. He is unmarried, so far as the world knows, but he also comes of the bad old times and--well, you know his reputation. But if he leaves no legitimate heir the title comes to his sister's son----" "If he should happen to be legitimate," growled Jack. "As you say, my boy--if he can be proved legitimate?" "In which case he is both Carron of Carne and Earl of Quixande." "And, having no need for the two titles, it might be possible to hand one over to his half-brother." "Could he?" asked Jack doubtfully. "Under the circumstances it might possibly be sanctioned." "Failing that, who comes in?" "Some Solway Canons. I know nothing of them except that your grandfather detests them. But there is still further possibility for you both." "What?" And they eyed him anxiously. "That in your military careers you may both rise to such heights as to cast even the title of Carron of Carne into the shade." Jack nodded. Jim did not seem to regard it as a very hopeful prospect. "Well," said Jack, as he got up, "we've got quite enough to think over for one night. We're going to the inn. We told them to make up beds for us there. They'll all have turned in at Carne. We'll go along and see Sir Denzil in the morning."