“You see her?” said Mr. Bond, rubbing his soft old palms; “straight for us she comes--in a considerable hurry by this time, I can tell you! and if she happens to break up in the air, then, pray, sir, that a splinter of her may fall into your back yard--not too big a one! but a nice little comfortable _piece_”--he rubbed his palms--“for you know, no doubt, of what her substance is composed? Diamond, sir, in extraordinary evidence! in conjunction with specular iron ore, commonly called the red haematite, and the ferrous carbonate, or spathic iron. You see her, sir? you see her?” Hogarth whispered: “Yes”. There, fairest among ten thousand, sailing the high seas she came; and longer than was modest he stopped there, gazing, then ran, wondering at her daisy loveliness, not dreaming that between himself and her was--a relation. She broke up with a European display soon after eleven that night over the North Sea. IX HOGARTH'S GUNS At the moment when Hogarth was peering through the telescope, a man was loitering before his cottage--one of the Hall's park-keepers; and when Margaret put out her head to look for Richard's coming, the man whistled. In a moment a note was in her hand. “DEAR MISS HOGARTH, “This is to ask you to be certain sure to meet me this evening at 9 P.M. on the towpath. It isn't to-day that you are well aware of the state of my feelings toward you: but it is not to talk sweethearting that I wish to see you now, but about your brother, and the matter is about as important as can be. If I were in your place, I should destroy this letter. “Yours, with my respects, “BARUCH FRANKL”. Margaret tore it up, and “My goodness!” she thought, “what is anyone to do? If I only had the money to make up those fifty pounds! May the Holy Spirit guide me now...!” Later in the evening she stole out, and met Frankl. He assumed a very respectful tone. “Miss Hogarth”, said he at once, “have you heard?” “No, sir”. “You have not been told that your brother has been to the Hall?” “What in patience for?” “He came--you couldn't believe--to beat me!” “Richard! I don't understand. When?” “Yesterday”. (In reality it was four weeks before.) “But what about?” “Revenge! Blind, murderous revenge for turning him neck and crop out of Lagden!” “You _are_ in a temper! But I can't understand a word of it!” “Well, that is what I had to tell you. He came to my house--And how good have I been to this man! Didn't I send him the fifty pounds--?” “Well, that _was_ kind. But I must tell you, Mr. Frankl, that Richard knows nothing of the fifty pounds--” “Well, then it is _your_ fault! Oh, he did not know of the fifty pounds? Then it is your fault entirely, this rage of his against me--He threatened to shoot me dead--thrice he threatened--soon, he said--” “Not Richard?”