so to you."

Edmonson reached up his hand as she withdrew hers. His eyes seemed to
scintillate as he felt the surface of the canvas under his finger; his
face flushed deeply; it was with effort that he restrained a jubilant
cry, and his tones betrayed a triumph that he could not hide, while
excitement broke through his barriers of measured words.

"Really, we must look into this," he said. "This may be El Dorado
to--some of us. Let us wager, Mistress Royal, whom it most concerns,
you, or me."

"I suppose it's some old family portrait and belongs to the Colonel,"
she answered.

"Yes, I suppose so," he said, waiving the question of the wager as she
had done. "Don't you propose to ask him?"

Elizabeth looked amazed, then flushed deeply as she realized her
imprudence in having spoken of the canvas.

"Certainly not," she answered. "I don't see how what Colonel Archdale
has on his walls concerns me."

"I should think a possible daughter-in-law would feel somewhat
differently." She winced, then answered coolly; "She ought not."

"Well, at least, _I_ am curious. I own it. I must see what we have
unearthed here. Won't you ask the Colonel to show us his private
portrait gallery? He will do anything for you, I notice."