long ago, and I've got a taste of his blood in me. But I'm not quite as
bad as that yet."
He laughed, and carelessly went on: "As to the family honor, I don't
see that it will be helped by my ripping up the whole thing and perhaps
showing that Bill was a little too previous in identifying me. As to my
reputation, that was gone after I left home, and if I hadn't been the
legal heir they wouldn't have bothered their heads about me. My father
had given me up long ago, and there isn't a man, woman, or child that
wouldn't now welcome Bill in my place."
"There is one who wouldn't," said Randolph impulsively.
"You mean Caroline Avondale?" said Captain Dornton dryly.
Randolph colored. "No; I mean Miss Eversleigh, who was with your
brother."
Captain Dornton reflected. "To be sure! Sibyl Eversleigh! I haven't seen
her since she was so high. I used to call her my little sweetheart. So
Sybby remembered Cousin Jack and came to find him? But when did you
meet her?" he asked suddenly, as if this was the only detail of the past
which had escaped him, fixing his frank eyes upon Randolph.
The young man recounted at some length the dinner party at Dingwall's,
his conversation with Miss Eversleigh, and his interview with Sir
William, but spoke little of Miss Avondale. To his surprise, the captain
listened smilingly, and only said: "That was like Billy to take a rise
out of you by pretending you were suspected. That's his way--a little
rough when you don't know him and he's got a little grog amidships. All
the same, I'd have given something to have heard him 'running' you, when
all the while you had the biggest bulge on him, only neither of you
knew it." He laughed again, until Randolph, amazed at his levity and
indifference, lost his patience.
"Do you know," he said bluntly, "that they don't believe you were
legally married?"
But Captain Dornton only continued to laugh, until, seeing his
companion's horrified face, he became demure. "I suppose Bill didn't,
for Bill had sense enough to know that otherwise he would have to take a
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