Royal Academy, and of many other interesting topics.

Then the cloth was removed, and we drew near the fire. I had just said
to him, 'Now for your story,' and he was just beginning to tell it,
when, as I sat down in an arm-chair which Nellie had placed for me by
the fire, my eye fell upon a photograph which was hanging in a frame
close to the fireplace. I started from my seat and looked at it. Surely
I could not be mistaken! Surely I knew every feature of it, every fold
of the dress, every tiny detail in the face and figure. It was the
counterpart of a picture which hung opposite my bed in my London home.

'However on earth did you get that?' I cried. 'Why, it's my mother's
picture!'

I think I have never felt more startled than I did at that moment. After
all the thoughts of yesterday, after my dream of last night, after all
my recollection of my mother's words to me, and her prayers for
me--after all this, to see her dear eyes looking at me from the wall of
the house of this unknown man, in this remote, out-of-the-world spot,
almost frightened me.

I did not realize at first that my host was almost as much startled as I
was.

'Your mother!' he repeated; 'your mother! Surely not! Do you mean to
tell me,' he said, laying his hand on my arm, 'that your name is
Villiers?'

'Of course it is,' I said; 'Jack Villiers.'