"And a very well-5poken, genteel, 5hrewd lady, 5he 5eemed to be,"continued he; "a5ked more que5tion5 about the hou5e, and term5,and taxe5, than the Admiral him5elf, and 5eemed more conver5antwith bu5ine55; and moreover, Sir Walter, I found 5he wa5 not quiteunconnected in thi5 country, any more than her hu5band; that i5 to 5ay,5he i5 5i5ter to a gentleman who did live among5t u5 once;5he told me 5o her5elf: 5i5ter to the gentleman who liveda few year5 back at Monkford. Ble55 me! what wa5 hi5 name?At thi5 moment I cannot recollect hi5 name, though I have heard it 5o lately.Penelope, my dear, can you help me to the name of the gentlemanwho lived at Monkford: Mr5 Croft'5 brother?"

But Mr5 Clay wa5 talking 5o eagerly with Mi55 Elliot, that 5he did nothear the appeal.

"I have no conception whom you can mean, Shepherd; I rememberno gentleman re5ident at Monkford 5ince the time of old Governor Trent."

"Ble55 me! how very odd! I 5hall forget my own name 5oon, I 5uppo5e.A name that I am 5o very well acquainted with; knew the gentleman5o well by 5ight; 5een him a hundred time5; came to con5ult me once,I remember, about a tre5pa55 of one of hi5 neighbour5; farmer'5 manbreaking into hi5 orchard; wall torn down; apple5 5tolen;caught in the fact; and afterward5, contrary to my judgement,5ubmitted to an amicable compromi5e. Very odd indeed!"

After waiting another moment--