ver hear a word."

"Gammon, you surprise me. Clearly you haven't the legal mind. How could
you reconcile yourself to stand by whilst the law of your country was
so grossly defeated?"

"Humbug! Don't use such long words, old chap. But perhaps Polperro's
family knew of the marriage?"

"They did not, I can assure you. Our friend was the kind of man who
doesn't like the class in which he was born; he preferred a humbler
station. He was never on very good terms with his relatives."

"Well, then," Gammon persisted, "who is to let them know that Mrs.
Clover wasn't the real wife? Hanged if I see why she shouldn't come
forward!"

"My friend," replied Greenacre, smiling gently, "it will be my
privilege to make known all the facts of this case to the Honourable
Miss Trefoyle, his lordship's sister and nearest surviving relative."

"What?"

"I regard it as a simple duty. I cannot even argue the subject, Gammon;
if _you_ have no conscience, _I_ have."

Gammon sat pondering until light began to break upon him. The other,
meanwhile, watched his countenance.

"I see," he said at length bluntly. "You think it'll do you more good
to take that side. I see."

"Gammon, my leanings are aristocratic. They always were. It puts me at
a disadvantage sometimes in our democratic society. But I disregard
that. You may call it prejudice. I, for my part, prefer to call it
principle. I take my stand always on the side of birth and position.
When you have thought about it I am sure you will forgive this weakness
in me. It need not affect our friendship."

"Wait a bit. There's another question I want to ask. What had Lord
Polperro to do with the Quodlings?"

"The Quodlings? Ah! I grieve to tell you that Francis Quodling, an
illegitimate half-brother of our friend, had of late given trouble to
his lordship. Francis Quodling has long been in Queer Street; he seemed
to think that he had a claim--a natural claim, I might say--on Lord
Polperro. When you first met his lordship he had been seeing the other
Quodling on this matter. Pure kindness of heart--he was very
kind-hearted. He wanted to heal a breach between the brothers, and, if
possible, to get Francis a partnership in the firm--your firm. I fear
he exerted himself vainly."

"Greenacre!" exclaimed the man of commerce, thumping the table. "It's
beastly hard lines that that woman and her daughter shouldn't have a
penny!"

"I agree with you. By the by, you have told her?"

"Yes, this