“After the funeral, I prepared to return to England, to search for Lady Elfrida and her son. Judge of my surprise when I learned, by a mere accident, that she had been with her family at Naples only a few weeks before. I went over to England, only to hear that she had sailed, with all her party, for America. I took ship and followed. Looked for you in New York in vain. Remembered that you had a country seat at Mondreer, Maryland. Came down to Washington to-day en route for Mondreer. Ran up against you, Enderby, in the street to-night.”
“A lucky meeting,” said the earl.
“Yes. These documents before me are attested copies—the first of the certificates of the marriage between Luigi Saviola and Elfrida Glennon; the second of the registry of baptism of Rolando, their son; the third of the last will and testament of Antonio Saviola. These will establish the claim of the young man, who, you say, is alive and well, to the estate of his late uncle. When may I bring them to Lady Elfrida?”
“To-morrow, if you please,” replied Mr. Force.
Then the earl and the squire arose, and, with renewed thanks, bade the general good-night.
CHAPTER XLII
THE EARL’S DISCOVERY
The church bells were chiming twelve, midnight, as the earl and the squire walked along the now almost deserted avenue toward their hotel.
“I had no idea it was so late,” said the earl.
“Nor I,” assented the squire.
“Force!”