cabled the sad news of the Colonel's untimely death to Sir Gerald
Seymour Stukeley at Monksmead, he being, so far as Major Decies knew,
the boy's only male relative in England--uncle of the late Mrs. de
Warrenne.

The reply, which arrived in a day or two, appeared from its redundancy
and incoherence to be the composition of Miss Yvette Seymour Stukeley,
and bade Major Decies either send or bring the infant Damocles to
Monksmead _immediately_.

The Major decided to apply forthwith for such privilege-leave and
furlough as were due to him, and to proceed to England with the boy.
It would be as well that his great-uncle should hear from him,
personally, of the matter of the child's mental condition resultant
upon the tragedy of his own birth and his mother's death. The Major
was decidedly anxious as to the future in this respect--all might be
well in time, and all might be very far indeed from well.

Nurse Beaton absolutely and flatly refused to be parted from her
charge, and the curious party of three set sail for England in due
course.

"Hm!--He's every inch a Stukeley," remarked the General when Damocles
de Warrenne was ushered into his presence in the great library at
Monksmead. "Hope he's Stukeley by nature too. Sturdy young fella!
'Spose he's vetted sound in wind and limb?"

The Major replied that the boy was physically rather remarkably
strong, mentally very sound, and in character all that could be
desired. He then did his best to convey to the General an