Two telegrams were dispatched to Paris--one to the respectable Mr.
Tompkins, with orders to pay bills and return with his master's effects;
the other to the estimable Mr. Joyce, the groom of the colonel, with
orders to perform the same services in behalf of his own employer.

Then the principal and his second separated--the duke to go to his
town-house in Piccadilly and the colonel to join his regiment, then
stationed at Brighton.

And as the extradition treaty had not at that day been thought of, both
were perfectly safe.

CHAPTER XL.

AFTER THE STORM.

The Duke of Hereward only remained in town until the arrival of his
servants with his effects from Paris.

He avoided looking at the newspapers, which, he knew, must contain
exaggerated statements of the duel and its causes, if, indeed, any
statement of such horrors could be exaggerated.

On the third day after his arrival in London, he went down to Greencombe,
a small family estate in a secluded part of Sussex, near the sea.

Here he hid himself and his humiliations from the world.

The primitive population around Greencombe had never seen the duke,
or any of his family, who preferred to reside at Hereward Hold, in
Devonshire, or their town-house in Piccadilly, leaving their small
Sussex place in charge of a land-steward and a few old servants.

They had never even heard of the marriage of the duke in Paris, much less
the flight of the duchess, or the duel with Volaski.

This neglect of his poor people at Greencombe had hitherto been a matter
of compunction to the conscientious soul of the duke, but he now was
satisfied with the course of conduct which had left them in total
ignorance of himself and his unhappy domestic history.

The duke and his fine servants were received with mingled deference,
gladness and embarrassment by the aged and rustic couple who acted as
land-steward and housekeeper at Greencombe, and who now bestirred
themselves to make their unexpected master and his attendants
comfortable.

The duke gave orders that he should be denied to all visitors, though
there was little likelihood of any calling upon him, except perhaps the
vicar of Greencombe church.

Here the duke vegetated until the meeting of Parliament, when he went up
to London to institute proceedings for a divorce.

At that time there was no divorce court, and little necessity for one.
Divorces were to be obtained by act of Parliament only.

The duke commenced