CHAPTER XVIII.
LORD POLPERRO'S REPRESENTATIVE By discreet inquiry Mr.Gammon procured an introduction to "Debrett," who supplied him with a great deal of information.

In the first place he learned that the present Lord Polperro, fourth of that title, was not the son, but the brother of the Lord Polperro preceding him, both being offspring, it was plain, of the peer whose will occasioned a lawsuit some forty years ago.

Granted the truth of scandalous rumour, which had such remarkable supports in facial characteristics, the present bearer of the title would be, in fact, half-brother to Francis Quodling.

Again, it was discoverable that the Lord Polperro of to-day succeeded to the barony in the very year of Mrs.Clover's husband's second disappearance.
"Just what I said," was Gammon's mental comment as he thumped the aristocratic pages.
Now for the women.

To begin with, Lord Polperro was set down a bachelor--ha! ha! Then he had one sister, Miss Adela Trefoyle, older than himself, and that might very well be the lady who was seen beside him at the theatre.