He took a long drink, and sat staring oddly at Lawrence.
"Say, Oscar," he burst out abruptly, "you must have been in the States a bally while, by Jove!"
"I have," Barry smiled. "How did you guess it?"
"You talk just like these blooming Yankees; 'pon my soul, you do! I've been listening for that bit of an accent you used to have, old chap; and I give you my word, it's gone—you've lost it. Funny thing; eh, what?"
For a second Barry sat silent, his interest thoroughly aroused. Was it possible that he was on the point of finding the key to the enigma which had so puzzled him.
"Accent!" he repeated the next moment. "Did my accent used to be so bad?"
Brandon laughed.
"Not bad," he chuckled. "Just enough to notice now and then. By Jove! Have you forgotten how we always said you'd be taken for a foreigner sooner or later? You wouldn't now, old chap. Give you my word, I'd think you were a blooming Yankee if I didn't know you so well."
CHAPTER XXXII.
AN EXTRAORDINARY INTERVIEW.