Lair of the White Worm

far as I am concerned, enter into it freely, since from the moment my
eyes rested on you I saw my son--as he shall be, God willing--if he
chooses such a course himself."

"Indeed I do, sir--with all my heart!"

"Thank you, Adam, for that."  The old, man's eyes filled and his voice
trembled.  Then, after a long silence between them, he went on: "When I
heard you were coming I made my will.  It was well that your interests
should be protected from that moment on.  Here is the deed--keep it,
Adam.  All I have shall belong to you; and if love and good wishes, or
the memory of them, can make life sweeter, yours shall be a happy one.
Now, my dear boy, let us turn in.  We start early in the morning and have
a long drive before us.  I hope you don't mind driving?  I was going to
have the old travelling carriage in which my grandfather, your
great-grand-uncle, went to Court when William IV. was king.  It is all
right--they built well in those days--and it has been kept in perfect
order.  But I think I have done better: I have sent the carriage in which
I travel myself.  The horses are of my own breeding, and relays of them
shall take us all the way.  I hope you like horses?  They have long been
one of my greatest interests in life."

"I love them, sir, and I am happy to say I have many of my own.  My
father gave me a horse farm for myself when I was eighteen.  I devoted
myself to it, and it has gone on.  Before I came away, my steward gave me
a memorandum that we have in my own place more than a thousand, nearly
all good."

"I am glad, my boy.  Another link between us."

"Just fancy what a delight it will be, sir, to see so much of England--and
with you!"

"Thank you again, my boy.  I will tell you all about your future home and
its surroundings as we go.  We shall travel in old-fashioned state, I
tell you.  My grandfather always drove four-in-hand; and so shall we."

"Oh, thanks, sir, thanks.  May I take the ribbons sometimes?"

"Whenever you choose, Adam.  The team is your own.  Every horse we use to-
day is to be your own."

"You are too generous, uncle!"

"Not at all.  Only an old man's selfish pleasure.  It is not every day
that an heir to the old home comes back.  And--oh, by the way . . . No,
we had better turn in now--I shall tell you the rest in the morning."




CHAPTER II--THE CASWALLS OF CASTRA REGIS


Mr. Salton had all his life been an early riser, and necessarily an early
waker.  But early as he woke on the next morning--and although there was
an excuse for not prolonging sleep in the constant whirr and rattle of
the "donkey" engine winches of the great ship--he met the eyes of Adam
fixed on him from his berth.  His grand-nephew had given him the sofa,
occupying the lower berth himself.  The old man, despite his great
strength and normal activity, was somewhat tired by his long journey of
the day before, and the prolonged and exciting interview which followed
it.  So he was glad to lie still and rest his body, whilst his mind was
actively exercised in taking in all he could of his strange surroundings.
Adam, too, after the pastoral habit to which he had been bred, woke with
the dawn, and was ready to enter on the experiences of the new day
whenever it might suit his elder companion.  It was little wonder, then,
that, so soon as each realised the other's readiness, they simultaneously
jumped up and began to dress.  The steward had by previous instructions
early breakfast prepared, and it was not long before they went down the
gangway on shore in search of the carriage.

They found Mr. Salton's bailiff looking out for them on the dock, and he
brought them at once to where the carriage was waiting in the street.
Richard Salton pointed out with pride to his young companion the
suitability of the vehicle for every need of travel.  To it were
harnessed four useful horses, with a postillion to each pair.

"See," said the old man proudly, "how it has all the luxuries of useful
travel--silence and isolation as well as speed.  There is nothing to
obstruct the view of those travelling and no one to overhear what they
may say.  I have used that trap for a quarter of a century, and I never
saw one more suitable for travel.  You shall test it shortly.  We are
going to drive through the heart of England; and as we go I'll tell you
what I was speaking of last night.  Our route is to be by Salisbury,
Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham, Worcester, Stafford; and so home."

Adam remained silent a few minutes, during which he seemed all eyes, for
he perpetually ranged the whole circle of the horizon.

"Has our journey to-day, sir," he asked, "any special relation to what
you said last night that you wanted to tell me?"

"Not directly; but indirectly, everything."

"Won't you tell me now--I see we cannot be overheard--and if anything
strikes you as we go along, just run it in.  I shall understand."

So old Salton spoke: