y--like the inimitable actor that he was--he had
slipped into his new role.

Albemarle waved the frivolous rejoinder aside. "Come, Mr. Wilding," said
he, "let us hear what you may have to say. You are not, I take it, about
to urge any reasons why these rogues should not be committed?"

"Indeed, Your Grace," said Wilding, "that is what I am about to urge."

Blake and Richard looked at him suddenly, and from him to Trenchard; but
it was only Ruth whose eyes were shrewd enough to observe the altered
demeanour of the latter. Her hopes rose, founded upon this oddly
assorted pair. Already in anticipation she was stirred by gratitude
towards Wilding, and it was in impatient and almost wondering awe that
she waited for him to proceed.

"I take it, sir," he said, without waiting for Albemarle to express
any of the fresh astonishment his countenance manifested, "that the
accusation against these gentlemen rests entirely upon the letter which
you have been led to believe was addressed to Mr. Westmacott."

The Duke scowled a moment before replying. "Why," said he, "if it could
be shown--irrefutably shown--that the letter was not addressed to either
of them, that would no doubt establish the truth of what they say--that
they possessed themselves of the letter in the interests of His
Majesty." He turned to Luttrell and Phelips, and they nodded their
concurrence with his view of the matter. "But," he continued, "if
you are proposing to prove any such thing, I think you will find it
difficult."

Mr. Wilding drew a crumpled paper from his pocket. "When the courier
whom they robbed, as they have correctly informed you," said he quietly,
"suspected their design upon the contents of his wallet, he bethought
him of removing the wrapper from the letter, so that in case the
letter were seized by them it should prove nothing against any man
in particular. He stuffed the wrapper into the lining of his hat,
preserving it as a proof of his good faith against the time when he
should bring the letter to its destination, or come to confess that it
had been taken from him. That wrapper the courier brought to me, and I
have it here. The evidence it will give should be more than sufficient
to warrant your restoring these unjustly accused gentlemen their
liberty."

"The courier took it to you?" echoed Albemarle, stupefaction in his
glance. "But why to you?"

"Because," said Wilding, and with his left hand he placed the wrapper
before Albemarle