Mr.Robarts, the clergyman of the parish and the brother of the younger Lady Lufton, was dining at the hall with his wife, and the three ladies had together expressed their perfect conviction of the falseness of the accusation.

But when Lord Lufton and Mr.Robarts were together after the ladies had left them there was much less of this certainty expressed.

"By Jove," said Lord Lufton, "I don't know what to think of it.

I wish with all my heart that Soames had said nothing about it, and that the cheque had passed without remark." "That was impossible.

When the banker sent to Soames, he was obliged to take the matter up." "Of course he was.