Following his host to the end of the long room, he found him —at—ing beside a'tall', keen-faced man who was-jpresented to him as Mr Lang ton, a colonial apthor of distinction. "Very glad to meet you." -mturnrured Mow. bray, as the chairman left them together. "-hanks,'' said the .other, shortly. "I wanted to talk to you ii—_t your last work, though. Six weeks tigo I read 'The Soul Seeker in Melbonme, and it made such a curious impression niwu mc that I dec id ed to come and see the author at once. _■ There's something I don't tp__e under—and about the book."

"Very charming of you," said Mowbray, "to take so much intet _t in my work; what was it that puzzled >'ou then?" "Something on the i^itie-page," -was tha quiet response. "Of course it may he no thing more than a mere coincidence, but the fact is my. wife once wrote a volume of poems tinder the name of: 'Eric H—nil ton.' It was called The Soul Seeker,' too."

"Your wife!" gasped the other, with a sudden tstarb at the man's words. "Who is your wife?" .7 "Mrs La-ng—n, formerly Miss Hilda Bar rington. She was the sole survivor from the wreck of the Southern Oross.- A —earner picked her up the day after the accident, and took her to Sydney, where we were married* She is fo Howing mc to London-by the next liner. By the way, Mr Mowbray," he added, in another voice, "have you ever thought of making a, prolonged stay in South Africa?" , " "No." he answered, sullenly. "Well, '.titer-- _ mall-boat leaving f_ Capetown to-morrow. You might catch it if yon packed up to-night." ' " "Quite so. ' Extract rpxOM "SociET? Snippets." "Mr John Mowbray (>vl_ will be re membered as the talent—! anther of 'The Soul Seeker and . Other Poems') has, we regret to say, completely broken down in health. Aa a consequence, he has just left England for a five yea.Ts" visit to South Africa. He was tlte guest of the evening at the Ma_u_s*X*lub on the night before his departure.'

ROAD BOARDS.
