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Caswall, without being enthusiastic on the subject, had been courteous and attentive; as she had walked back to Diana's Grove, she almost congratulated herself on her new settlement in life. That the idea was becoming fixed in her mind, was shown by a letter which she wrote later in the day to Adam Salton, and sent to him by hand. It ran as follows: "DEAR MR. SALTON,
"Indeed," Richard Salton went on, "I am in hopes that you will make your permanent home here. You see, my dear boy, you and I are all that remain of our race, and it is but fitting that you should succeed me when the time comes. In this year of grace, 1860, I am close on eighty years of age, and though we have been a long-lived race, the span of life cannot be prolonged beyond reasonable bounds.
Be quite free to act as you see your duty, and as your inclination calls. We are in the hands of God, and He has hitherto guided us, and will do so to His own end." From his wife's room Adam Salton went straight to the study in the tower, where he knew Sir Nathaniel would be at that hour.
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.
During the next month, however, he was met, coming from Inverness, by Lord Salton and Lord Mungo Murray, who were returning from Castle Downie. Such was the preparation for the disgraceful scenes which quickly followed.
We can only imagine or surmise such things or such conditions and such forces as overcame them." At breakfast-time next morning Sir Nathaniel and Mr. Salton were seated when Adam came hurriedly into the room. "Any news?" asked his uncle mechanically. "Four." "Four what?" asked Sir Nathaniel. "Snakes," said Adam, helping himself to a grilled kidney. "Four snakes. I don't understand."
He had under his immediate supervision a corps of workmen, and was assisted by Sir Nathaniel, who had come over for the purpose, and all were now staying at Lesser Hill. Mr. Salton, too, showed much interest in the job, and was constantly coming in and out, nothing escaping his observation.
Adam's eyes were in constant employment, and it was not till Salton declared that they had now entered on the last stage of their journey, that he referred to Sir Nathaniel's coming. As the dusk was closing down, they drove on to Lesser Hill, Mr. Salton's house. It was now too dark to see any details of their surroundings.
There was sufficient divergence of type, as well as of individual beauty, to allow of fair comment; Lady Arabella represented the aristocratic type, and Lilla that of the commonalty. When the dusk began to thicken, Mr. Salton and Sir Nathaniel walked home the trap had been sent away early in the day leaving Adam to follow in his own time.
This was a subject on which my mind was so much made up that, when I heard her carry her description of manners so far back beyond her own time, and describe how Fletcher of Salton spoke, how Graham of Claverhouse danced, what were the jewels worn by the famous Duchess of Lauderdale, and how she came by them, I could not help telling her I thought her some fairy, who cheated us by retaining the appearance of a mortal of our own day, when, in fact, she had witnessed the revolutions of centuries.
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