CHAPTER I.
VERNON'S PLOT Lister occupied the end of a slate-flag bench on the lawn at Carrock, Mrs.Cartwright's house in Rannerdale.

Rannerdale slopes to a lake in the North Country, and the old house stands among trees and rocks in a sheltered hollow.

The sun shone on its lichened front, where a creeper was going red; in the background birches with silver stems and leaves like showers of gold gleamed against somber firs.

Across the lawn and winding road, the tranquil lake reflected bordering woods; and then long mountain slopes that faded from yellow and green to purple closed the view.
While Lister waited for the tea Mrs.Cartwright had given him to cool he felt the charm of house and dale was strong.

Perhaps it owed something to the play of soft light and shade, for, as a rule, in Canada all was sharply cut.