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mplicit faith in Richard's truth。〃
〃True； I did forget；〃 replied Mr。 Carlyle。 〃I wish we could find out some one who knew the other Thorn； to ascertain that they were the same would be a great point gained。〃
He went as far as the park gates with Barbara； shook hands and wished her good evening。 Scarcely had she departed when Mr。 Carlyle saw two gentlemen advancing from the opposite direction； in one of whom he recognized Tom Herbert； and the otherinstinct told himwas Captain Thorn。 He waited till they came up。
〃If this isn't lucky； seeing you；〃 cried Mr。 Tom Herbert； who was a free…and…easy sort of a gentleman； the second son of a brother justice of Mr。 Hare。 〃I wish to goodness you'd give us a draught of your cider； Carlyle。 We went up to Beauchamp's for a stroll； but found them all out； and I'm awful thirsty。 Captain Thorn； Carlyle。〃
Mr。 Carlyle invited them to his house and ordered in refreshments。 Young Herbert coolly threw himself into an arm…chair and lit a cigar。 〃Come； Thorn；〃 cried he； 〃here's a weed for you。〃
Captain Thorn glanced toward Mr。 Carlyle； he appeared of a far more gentlemanly nature than Tom Herbert。
〃You'll have one too； Carlyle；〃 said Herbert； holding out his cigar… case。 〃Oh； I forgotyou are a muff； don't smoke one twice a year。 I say how's Lady Isabel？〃
〃Very ill still。〃
〃By Jove！ Is she； though？ Tell her I am sorry to hear it； will you； Carlyle？ ButI say！ Will she smell the smoke？〃 asked he； with a mixture of alarm and concern in his face。
Mr。 Carlyle reassured him upon the point； and turned to Captain Thorn。
〃Are you acquainted with this neighborhood？〃
Captain Thorn smiled。 〃I only reached West Lynne yesterday。〃
〃You were never here before then？〃 continued Mr。 Carlyle； setting down the last as a probably evasive answer。
〃No。〃
〃He and my brother Jack； you know； are in the same regiment；〃 put in Tom； with scanty ceremony。 〃Jack had invited him down for some fishing and that； and Thorn arrives。 But he never sent word he was coming； you see； Jack had given him up； and is off on some Irish expedition； the deuce knows where。 Precious unlucky that it should have happened so。 Thorn says he shall cut short his stay； and go again。〃
The conversation turned upon fishing； and in the heat of the argument； the stranger mentioned a certain pond and its famous eelsthe 〃Low Pond。〃 Mr。 Carlyle looked at him； speaking； however in a careless manner。
〃Which do you mean？ We have two ponds not far apart； each called the 'Low Pond' 〃
〃I mean the one on an estate about three miles form hereSquire Thorpe's； unless I am mistaken。〃
Mr。 Carlyle smiled。 〃I think you must have been in the neighborhood before； Captain Thorn。 Squire Thorpe is dead and the property has passed to his daughter's husband； and that Low Pond was filled up three years ago。〃
〃I have heard a friend mention it；〃 was Captain Thorn's reply； spoken in an indifferent tone； though he evidently wished not to pursue the subject。
Mr。 Carlyle； by easy degrees； turned the conversation upon Swainson； the place where Richard Hare's Captain Thorn was suspected to have come。 The present Captain Thorn said he knew it 〃a little；〃 he had once been 〃staying there a short time。〃 Mr。 Carlyle became nearly convinced that Barbara's suspicions were correct。 The description certainly agreed； so far as he could judge； in the most minute particulars。 The man before him wore two rings； a diamondand a very beautiful diamond tooon the one hand； a seal ring on the other； his hands were delicate to a degree； and his handkerchief； a cambric one of unusually fine texture； was not entirely guiltless of scent。 Mr。 Carlyle quitted the room for a moment and summoned Joyce to him。
〃My lady has been asking for you；〃 said Joyce。
〃Tell her I will be up the moment these gentlemen leave； Joyce；〃 he added； 〃find an excuse to come into the room presently； you can bring something or other in； I want you to look at this stranger who is with young Mr。 Herbert。 Notice him well； I fancy you may have seen him before。〃
Mr。 Carlyle returned to the room； leaving Joyce surprised。 However； she presently followed； taking in some water； and lingered a few minutes； apparently placing the things on the table in better order。
When the two departed Mr。 Carlyle called Joyce； before proceeding to his wife's room。 〃Well；〃 he questioned； 〃did you recognize him？〃
〃Not at all； sir。 He seemed quite strange to me。〃
〃Cast your thoughts back； Joyce。 Did you never see him in days gone by？〃
Joyce looked puzzled； and she replied in the negative。
〃Is he the man； think you； who used to ride from Swainson to see Afy？〃
Joyce's face flushed crimson。 〃Oh； sir！〃 was all she uttered。
〃The name is the sameThorn； I thought it possible the men might be；〃 observed Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Sir； I cannot say。 I never saw that Captain Thorn but once； and I don't know； I don't know〃 Joyce spoke slowly and with consideration 〃that I should at all know him again。 I did not think of him when I looked at this gentleman； but； at any rate； no appearance in this one struck upon my memory as being familiar。〃
So from Joyce Mr。 Carlyle obtained no clue； one way or the other。 The following day he sought out Otway Bethel。
〃Are you intimate with that Captain Thorn who is staying with the Herberts？〃 asked he。
〃Yes；〃 answered Bethel； decisively； 〃if passing a couple of hours in his company can constitute intimacy。 That's all I have seen of Thorn。〃
〃Are you sure；〃 pursued Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Sure！〃 returned Bethel； 〃why； what are you driving at now？ I called in at Herbert's the night before last； and Tom asked me to stay the evening。 Thorn had just come。 A jolly bout we had； cigars and cold punch。〃
〃Bethel；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle； dashing to the point； 〃is it the Thorn who used to go after Afy Hallijohn？ Come； you can tell if you like。〃
Bethel remained dumb for a moment； apparently with amazement。 〃What a confounded lie！〃 uttered he at length。 〃Why it's no more that than What Thorn？〃 he broke off abruptly。
〃You are equivocating； Bethel。 The Thorn who is mixed upor said to bein the Hallijohn affair。 Is this the same man？〃
〃You are a fool； Carlyle； which is what I never took you to be yet；〃 was Mr。 Bethel's rejoinder； spoken in a savage tone。 〃I have told you that I never knew there was any Thorn mixed up with Afy； and I should like to know why my word is not to be believed？ I never saw Thorn in my life till I saw him the other night at the Herberts'； and that I would take my oath to； if put to it。〃
Bethel quitted Mr。 Carlyle with the last word； and the latter gazed after him； revolving points in his brain。 The mention of Thorn's name； the one spoken of by Richard Hare； appeared to excite some feeling in Bethel's mind； arousing it to irritation。 Mr。 Carlyle remembered that it had done so previously and now it had done so again； and yet Bethel was an easy…natured man in general； far better tempered than principled。 That there was something hidden； some mystery connected with the affair； Mr。 Carlyle felt sure； but he could not attempt so much as a guess at what it might be。 And this interview with Bethel brought him no nearer the point he wished to find outwhether this Tho