It is a seven-mile drive from here.' "'I believe,' said the coroner after a slight pause, during which the attention of all the spectators was riveted upon the handsome figure of the young man as he stood in the witness-box, the very personification of a high-bred gentleman, 'I believe that I am right in stating that there was an unfortunate legal dispute between your lordship and your brother ?' "'That is so.' "The coroner stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment or two, then he added: "'In the event of the deceased's claim to the joint title and revenues of De Genneville being held good in the courts of law, there would be a great importance, would there not, attached to his marriage, which was to have taken place on the 15th ?' "'In that event, there certainly would be.' "'Is the jury to understand, then, that you and the deceased parted on amicable terms after your interview with him in the morning ?' "The Earl of Brockelsby hesitated again for a minute or two, while the crowd and the jury hung breathless on his lips.
"'There was no enmity between us,' he replied at last.
"'From which we may gather that there may have been--shall I say--a slight disagreement at that interview ?' "'My brother had unfortunately been misled by the misrepresentations or perhaps the too optimistic views of his lawyer.

He had been dragged into litigation on the strength of an old family document which he had never seen, which, moreover, is antiquated, and, owing to certain wording in it, invalid.

I thought that it would be kinder and more considerate if I were to let my brother judge of the document for himself.

I knew that when he had seen it he would be convinced of the absolutely futile basis of his claim, and that it would be a terrible disappointment to him.
That is the reason why I wished to see him myself about it, rather than to do it through the more formal--perhaps more correct--medium of our respective lawyers.

I placed the facts before him with, on my part, a perfectly amicable spirit.' "The young Earl of Brockelsby had made this somewhat lengthy, perfectly voluntary explanation of the state of affairs in a calm, quiet voice, with much dignity and perfect simplicity, but the coroner did not seem impressed by it, for he asked very drily: "'Did you part good friends ?' "'On my side absolutely so.' "'But not on his ?' insisted the coroner.
"'I think he felt naturally annoyed that he had been so ill-advised by his solicitors.' "'And you made no attempt later on in the day to adjust any ill-feeling that may have existed between you and him ?' asked the coroner, marking with strange, earnest emphasis every word he uttered.
"'If you mean did I go and see my brother again that day--no, I did not.' "'And your lordship can give us no further information which might throw some light upon the mystery which surrounds the Hon.