various nationalities which made up the conglomerate which became
Britain."

"I rather gathered that you had some more definite--more personal reason
for my hurrying. After all, history can keep--except in the making!"

"Quite right, my boy. I had a reason such as you very wisely guessed. I
was anxious for you to be here when a rather important phase of our local
history occurred."

"What is that, if I may ask, sir?"

"Certainly. The principal landowner of our part of the county is on his
way home, and there will be a great home-coming, which you may care to
see. The fact is, for more than a century the various owners in the
succession here, with the exception of a short time, have lived abroad."

"How is that, sir, if I may ask?"

"The great house and estate in our part of the world is Castra Regis, the
family seat of the Caswall family. The last owner who lived here was
Edgar Caswall, grandfather of the man who is coming here--and he was the
only one who stayed even a short time. This man's grandfather, also
named Edgar--they keep the tradition of the family Christian
name--quarrelled with his family and went to live abroad, not keeping up
any intercourse, good or bad, with his relatives, although this
particular Edgar, as I told you, did visit his family estate, yet his son
was born and lived and died abroad, while his grandson, the latest
inheritor, was also born and lived abroad till he was over thirty--his
present age. This was the second line of absentees. The great estate of