[Illustration: “Glued,” she echoed, “What do you mean?”] I was not satisfied. There was something short of uprightness in the whole tone of her attempted persuasion--which indeed I could hardly believe to have been so lightly intended as she now suggested. The effect of my feeling for her was that of a slight frost on the Spring blossoms. She had been examining the hilt with a look of interest, and was now for the third time trying to draw the blade from the sheath. ‘It’s no use, Clara,’ I said. ‘It has been too many years glued to the scabbard.’ ‘Glued!’ she echoed. ‘What do you mean?’ I did not reply. An expression almost of horror shadowed her face, and at the same moment, to my astonishment, she drew it half-way. ‘Why! You enchantress!’ I exclaimed. ‘I never saw so much of it before. It is wonderfully bright--when one thinks of the years it has been shut in darkness.’ She handed it to me as it was, saying, ‘If that weapon was mine, I should never rest until I had found out everything concerning it.’ ‘That is easily said, Clara; but how can I? My uncle knew nothing about it. My grandmother did, no doubt, but almost all I can remember her saying was something about my great-grandfather and Sir Marmaduke.’ As I spoke, I tried to draw it entirely, but it would yield no further. I then sought to replace it, but it would not move. That it yielded to Clara’s touch gave it a fresh interest and value. ‘I was sure it had a history,’ said Clara. ‘Have you no family papers? Your house you say is nearly as old as this: are there no papers of _any_ kind in it?’ ‘Yes, a few,’ I answered--‘the lease of the farm--and--’ ‘Oh! rubbish!’ she said. ‘Isn’t the house your own?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘And have you ever thoroughly searched it?’ ‘I haven’t had time yet.’ ‘Not had time!’ she repeated, in a tone of something so like the uttermost contempt that I was bewildered. ‘I mean some day or other to have a rummage in the old lumber-room,’ I said. ‘Well, I do think that is the least you can do--if only out of respect to your ancestors. Depend on it, they don’t like to be forgotten any more than other people.’