Horace did not look at him in return; but there was an animation and eagerness unusual to it in his face--he was following out in imagination, not a young man's vague, ambitious dreams, but a chain of elaborate researches after the one secret which he could not discover, and which haunted him night and day. "I do!" he exclaimed, with an emphasis of sincerity and earnestness which delighted the Colonel, who seized him by the hand, and promised, over and over again, to leave no exertion untried which could obtain him his wish. Horace responded to this with the best appearance of gratitude and cordiality which he could manage to show, but with, in reality, a great indifference. He had no hope whatever from his uncle's mediation, and was forming other and secret plans in his own mind for his own object, which was not the same as Colonel Sutherland's; for he did not dream of success in the profession which he was about to choose, or of "scope for his talents," or any of those natural ambitions which occurred to the old soldier--but had entirely concentrated his underground and cavernous thoughts upon this new and unthought of mode, of carrying his personal inquiries out. Having settled this matter to his great satisfaction, Colonel Sutherland walked to the window and contemplated the weather: it had ceased to rain, but the chill, damp, penetrating atmosphere was as ungenial as ever; the roads were wretched, and he shuddered involuntarily to think of that bare and miserable moor. However, the Colonel had already been three days at Tillington; and did not admire his quarters sufficiently to remain longer than he could help. Then this interview with his brother-in-law, being eminently disagreeable, would be well over. He hesitated, looked wistfully at his good fire, and with melancholy eyes at the dark sky without; but, at last, taking courage, buttoned on his great-coat, threw his cloak round him, took his stick in his hand, and thus defended from cold and violence, took his way once more, Horace by his side, to Marchmain. CHAPTER XIX.