And then through the mist and the moonlight a dull sheet of silver began to disclose itself dimly.
'No far noo; just a mile or two, sir,' was the consoling answer.
And indeed when he got to the end of his journey, and reached the little hostelry set far amid these moorland and mountain wilds, his welcome there made ample amends. He was ushered into a plain, substantially furnished, and spacious sitting-room, brightly lit up by the lamp that stood on the white cloth of the table, and also by the blazing glare from the peats in the mighty fireplace; and when his eyes had got accustomed to this bewilderment of warmth and light, he found, awaiting his orders, and standing shyly at the door, a pretty, tall, fair-haired girl, who, with the softest accent in the world, asked him what she should bring him for supper. And when he said he did not care to have anything, she seemed quite surprised and even concerned. It was a long, long drive, she said, in her shy and pretty way; and would not the gentleman have some hare-soup--that they had kept hot for him? and so forth. But her coaxing was of no avail.
'By the way, what is your name, my girl?' he said.
'Well, then, Nelly, do you happen to know whether Lord Ailine's keeper is anywhere in the neighbourhood?'
'He is in the unn, sir, waiting for you.'
'Oh, indeed. Well, tell him I should like to see him. And say, what is his name?'
'His "first name"? I thought that was one of our Americanisms.'
'Ronald Strang is his name, sir; but we jist call him Ronald.'
'Very well, Nelly; you go and tell him I want to see him.'
'Ferry well, sir,' she said; and away she went.
But little indeed did this indefatigable student of nature and human nature--who had been but half interested by his observations and experiences through that long day's travel--know what was yet in store for him. The door opened; a slim-built and yet muscular young man of eight-and-twenty or so appeared there, clad in a smart deer-stalking costume of brownish green; he held his cap in his hand; and round his shoulder was the strap from which hung behind the brown leather case of his telescope. This Mr. Hodson saw at a glance; and also something more. He prided himself on his judgment of character. And when his quick look had taken in the keen, sun-tanned face of this young fellow, the square, intellectual forehead, the firm eyebrows, the finely cut and intelligent mouth, and a certain proud set of the head, he said to himself, 'This is a _man_: there's something here worth knowing.'