Of course, we followed everything out exactly as he wished. Then the next thing to do was to find Mr. Richard Goulburn and Miss Maisie Goulburn—eh?"
Mr. Conybeare winked, and took a sip of his champagne.
"Now you may think that that was an easy task considering that fortunes of such value were awaiting those fortunate young people," he continued. "But I can assure you both that it was one of the most difficult tasks I had ever been brought to face, because, beyond the fact that you, Mr. Goulburn, and your sister were the children of the Reverend Samuel Goulburn, and were both born at Little Diddington, we had nothing to go on. Then the old gentleman had laid upon us a strict charge that we should do nothing to find you until he had been in his grave exactly forty-two days—he had had some fad about that. Well, when that period had expired, which is a few days ago, I personally went down to Little Diddington and made inquiries, first verifying and copying the requisite entries in the parish registers. But beyond ascertaining that you had both left the village after your father's death, I could learn nothing, though some people thought you were both in London, while others were certain you had gone to America. So I came back to town, and we were going to commence inquiries in the ordinary way when—well, I suddenly discovered—this very morning—that there was a Richard Goulburn, nephew of a Nathaniel Goulburn, in the employ of Messrs. Pepperall & Tardrew in Mincing Lane, whereupon I came here at
