money on him!'

And, with another indifferent nod, he flung out of the room.

Before Mrs. Hewett and Kirkwood could renew their conversation,
there was another step at the door, and the father of the family
presented himself.





CHAPTER III

A SUPERFLUOUS FAMILY




Kirkwood's face, as he turned to greet the new-comer, changed
suddenly to an expression of surprise.

'Why, what have you been doing to your hair?' he asked abruptly.

A stranger would have seen nothing remarkable in John Hewett's hair,
unless he had reflected that, being so sparse, it had preserved its
dark hue and its gloss somewhat unusually. The short beard and
whiskers were also of richer colour than comported with the rest of
the man's appearance. Judging from his features alone, one would
have taken John for sixty at least; his years were in truth not