"What does he say, uncle?" asked Susan, when, after a considerable pause, and two readings of the letter, Uncle Edward carefully refolded it, laid it down by his own plate, and went on with his breakfast without another word. "Oh, hum--nothing particular, my dear child--nothing of any importance," said Colonel Sutherland, with a troubled face, opening the letter again and glancing over it; as if he might perhaps find out somewhere a key to the moral cipher in which it was written. He was slow to take offence; but its tone affronted the old soldier. There was a shade of mockery, visible even to Uncle Edward's earnest, unsuspicious eyes; and whether it was true, and Musgrave was to blame--or false, and a disgrace to Horace, there was equal pain in the alternative; in either case it was not for Susan's eyes. "Uncle, has Horace been doing something very wrong?" asked Susan, after a little interval, with the moisture rising to her eyes. Colonel Sutherland made a little use of his infirmity at that moment. He bent his deaf ear towards her, asking, "What, my love?" as if he had neither heard nor could guess what her question was; and before she could speak again, made an exclamation of surprise over another letter, the postmark of which he was regarding curiously. "London! why, Susan, Musgrave has come home!" And before the Colonel could assure himself of this unexpected event by a glance over his letter, a commotion was heard outside; Patchey intent upon showing into the drawing-room somebody who was equally intent upon finding his way direct to the Colonel's presence. "Why, man, I have come all the way from the Cape to see him," burst at last upon their hearing, in a manly voice, somewhat loud, and full of exhilaration, from the hall. "I tell you, he'll give me some breakfast; the kindest friend I ever had in the world, do you think he'll refuse to see _me?_" "The Colonel's a kind friend to many a person, but it's agin his principle to be disturbed at his meals," said Patchey, obstinately. "I'll tell him whenever the bell rings, but in the meanwhile you'll walk in _here_."