Lord Fawn, when he was alone, rubbed his hands over his eyes and thought about it all.

It would be a very harsh measure, on the part of the Eustace family and of Mr.Camperdown, to demand from her the surrender of any trinket which her late husband might have given her in the manner she had described.

But it was, to his thinking, most improbable that the Eustace people or the lawyer should be harsh to a widow bearing the Eustace name.

The Eustaces were by disposition lavish, and old Mr.Camperdown was not one who would be strict in claiming little things for rich clients.

And yet here was his letter, threatening the widow of the late baronet with legal proceedings for the recovery of jewels which had been given by Sir Florian himself to his wife as a keepsake! Perhaps Sir Florian had made some mistake, and had caused to be set in a ring or brooch for his bride some jewel which he had thought to be his own, but which had, in truth, been an heirloom.