his men, who stepped forward with a pair
of handcuffs.

"I shall come quietly enough," said Westwood, with a smile. "You needn't
trouble yourself about the bracelets."

"Ah, I dare say!" said the inspector. "You've been rather a slippery
customer hitherto, I believe. We'll make sure of you now."

But Hubert interfered.

"No, no," he said--"Westwood is innocent! It was I--I who committed the
crime for which he was condemned. Put the handcuffs on me, if on any
one, but not on that innocent man!"

"Well, this is a rum start!" said the inspector to himself. "You don't
look very fit to run away, sir; we won't trouble you," he said to Hubert
with a friendly smile. "Head wrong, I suppose?" he asked of Cynthia, in
a stage-aside.

They had some trouble in convincing him that Hubert meant to be taken to
the station with Westwood; and, even when he had heard the story, it was
plain that he did not quite believe it. However, he consented to let
Hubert accompany him and then he remarked that, as it was getting late,
it would be better if his companions started at once.

"And the old gentleman?" he said, looking at the General with interest.
"Is he coming too?"

Hubert hesitated. Then he went up to the old man and touched him gently
on the shoulder.

"Will you not look at me, sir?" he said. "Have you nothing to say to me
before I go?"

No, he had nothing to say; he would never say anything again. The
General was dead.

CHAPTER LI.

The proceedings relating to Westwood's trial and Hubert Lepel's
confession naturally excited great interest. The whole matter had to be
investigated once more; and it could not be denied that a howl of
indignation at Hubert's conduct went up through the length and breadth
of the land. Even Flossy's indiscretions--to call them by no harsher
name--were not held to excuse him for suppressing the fact that he had
taken Sydney Vane's life, and then allowed Andrew Westwood to suffer the
penalty of a crime which he had not committed. The details that came out
one after another whetted the public appetite to an incredible extent.
And in such a case it soon became evident that no details could be
suppressed at all. Even the fact of the attachment between Hubert and
Cynthia leaked out, although everybody tried hard to keep it a secret;
and great was the wonder excited by Cynthia's steady refusal to give up
the lover who had nearly caused her father's death.

"She must be a heartless creatur