“We go to-morrow, Cosmo,” said Cameron, rather rapidly; “here is Baptiste’s bill to be settled, and some other things. We’ll go over to Dieppe the first thing in the morning--every thing had better be done to night.” “The first thing in the morning! but I am afraid I--I can not go,” said Cosmo, hesitating a little. “Why?” Cameron looked up at him imperiously--he was not in a humor to be thwarted. “Because--not that I don’t wish to go, for I had rather be with you,” said Cosmo--“but because I made a discovery, and a very important one, to-day.” “Ah?” said Cameron, with a smile and a tone of dreary satire; “this must have been a day for discoveries--what was yours?” “It was about Madame Roche,” said Cosmo, with hesitation--he was afraid to broach the subject, in his anxiety for his friend, and yet it must be told. “Just so,” said Cameron, with the same smile; “I knew it must be about Madame Roche--what then? I suppose it is no secret? nothing more than everybody knew?” “Don’t speak so coldly,” entreated Cosmo, with irrestrainable feeling; “indeed it is something which no one could have dreamed of; Cameron, she is Mary. I never guessed or supposed it until to-day.” Something like a groan burst from Cameron in spite of himself. “Ay, she’s Mary!” cried the Highlander, with a cry of fierce despair and anguish not to be described, “but laddie, what is that to you?” They were a world apart as they sat together on either side of that little table, with the pale little light between them--the boy in the awe of his concern and sympathy--the man in the fiery struggle and humiliation of his manhood wrung to the heart. Cosmo did not venture to look up, lest the very glance--the water in his eyes, might irritate the excited mind of his friend. He answered softly, almost humbly, with the deep imaginative respect of youth. “She is Mary of Melmar, Cameron--the old lady; my father’s kinswoman whom he was--fond of--who ran away to marry a Frenchman--who is the heir of Melmar--Melmar which was to be Huntley’s, if I had not found her. It can not be Huntley’s now; and I must stay behind to complete the discovery I have made.” Perhaps Cosmo’s tone was not remarkably cheerful; the Highlander looked at him with an impatient and indignant glance. “Why should it be Huntley’s when it is hers?” he said, almost angrily. “Would you grudge her rights to a helpless woman? you, boy! are even _you_ beguiled when yourself is concerned?” “You are unjust,” said Cosmo. “I do not hesitate a moment--I have done nothing to make any one doubt me--nor ever will.” The lad was indignant in proportion to his uneasiness and discomfort in his discovery, but Cameron was not sufficiently at rest himself to see through the natural contradictions of his young companion. He turned away from him with the half-conscious gesture of a sick heart.