he difference between deliberate falsehood,
which was abhorrent to Dermot, and the exaggerations and mystifications
to which his uncle's solemnity always prompted him. I appealed to the
county paper; but he had been abroad at the time, and had, moreover,
been told that the facts had been hushed up.

Happily, he had some trust in my veracity, and let me prove my perfect
alibi for Harold as well as for Dermot. When I represented how those
two were the only men among some hundreds who had shown either courage
or coolness, he granted it with the words, "True, true. Of course, of
course. That's the way good blood shows itself. Hereditary qualities
are sure to manifest themselves."

Then he let me exonerate Harold from the charge of intemperance,
pointing out that not even after the injury and operation, nor after
yesterday's cold and fatigue, had he touched any liquor; but I don't
think the notion of teetotalism was gratifying, even when I called it a
private, individual vow. Nor could I make out whether his Australian
life was known, and I was afraid to speak of it, lest I should be
betraying what need never be mentioned. Of Viola's adventure, to my
surprise, her uncle did not make much, but he had heard of that from
the fountain-head, unpolluted by Stympson gossip; and, moreover, Lady
Diana had been so disproportionately angry as to produce a reaction in
him. Viola was his darling, and he had taken her part when he had
found that she knew her brother was at hand. He allowed, too, that she
might fairly be inspired with confidence by the voice and countenance
of her captor, whom he seemed to view as a good-natured giant. But
even this was an advance on "the prize-fighter," as Lady Diana and the
Stympsons called him.

It was an amusing thing to hear the old earl moralising on the
fortunate conjunction of circumstances, which had brought the property,
contrary to all expectation, to the most suitable individual. Much did
I long for Harold to return and show what he was, but only his
lordship's servant, letters, and portmanteau came on an improvised
sleigh. He had an immense political, county, and benevolent
correspondence, and was busied with it all the rest of the day.
Eustace hovered about reverentially and obligingly, and secured the
good opinion which had been already partly gained by the statement of
the police at the Quarter Sessions, whence Lord Erymanth had been
returning, that they never had had so few c