orner, was her chair, with her embroidery on the work-table by its
side. On the little easel near the window was her last drawing, not
quite finished yet. The book she had been reading lay on the sofa,
with her tiny pencil-case in it to mark the place at which she had left
off. One after another, he looked at the objects that reminded him of
the woman whom he loved--took them up tenderly--and laid them down
again with a sigh. Ah, how far, how unattainably far from him, she was
still! 'She will never forget Montbarry,' he thought to himself as he
took up his hat to go. 'Not one of us feels his death as she feels it.
Miserable, miserable wretch--how she loved him!'

In the street, as Henry closed the house-door, he was stopped by a
passing acquaintance--a wearisome inquisitive man--doubly unwelcome to
him, at that moment. 'Sad news, Westwick, this about your brother.
Rather an unexpected death, wasn't it? We never heard at the club that
Montbarry's lungs were weak. What will the insurance offices do?'

Henry started; he had never thought of his brother's life insurance.
What could the offices do but pay? A death by bronchitis, certified by
two physicians, was surely the least disputable of all deaths. 'I wish
you hadn't put that question into my head!' he broke out irritably.
'Ah!' said his friend, 'you think the widow will get the money? So do
I! so do I!'

CHAPTER VII

Some days later, the insurance offices (two in number) received the
formal announcement of Lord Montbarry's death, from her ladyship's
London solicitors. The sum insured in each office was five thousand
pounds--on which one year's premium only had been paid. In the face of
such a pecuniary emergency as this, the Directors thought it desirable
to consider their position. The medical advisers of the two offices,
who had recommended the insurance of Lord Montbarry's life, were called
into council over their own reports. The result excited some interest
among persons connected with the business of life insurance. Without
absolutely declining to pay the money, the two offices (acting in
concert) decided on sending a commission of inquiry to Venice, 'for the
purpose of obtaining further information.'

Mr. Troy received the earliest intelligence of what was going on. He
wrote at once to communicate his news to Agnes; adding, what he
considered to be a valuable hint, in these words:

'You are intimately acquainted, I know, with Lady Barville, the