never forgot his mother language, though he mixed many Dutch words with
it.

"He has ridden forward an hour or more ago. Can I take any message to
him for you?" said the lawyer. "Or if you wish to talk of business, to
speak to me is to speak to him."

"That may be so," answered Suzanne, "still I like to draw my water at
the fountain itself. Yet, as he has gone, I beg you to listen to me, for
when you have heard what I have to say I think that you will bring him
back. You came here about Ralph Kenzie, did you not, and my mother told
you that he is not the man whom you seek, did she not?"

The lawyer nodded.

"Well, I tell you that all this tale is false, for he is the very man,"
and she poured out the true story of Ralph and of the plot that had been
made to deceive them about him.

Now, as I have said, Suzanne's English was none of the best and it is
possible that the lawyer did not understand. For my part, however, I
think that he understood well enough, for she told me afterwards that is
face grew grey and anxious as he listened, and that at length he said:

"All this you tell me is very strange and weighty, so much so that I
must bring my friend back to look more closely into the matter. Return
now to the farm and say nothing of having met me, for by this evening,
or to-morrow at the latest, we will come there again and sift out the
truth of this question."