ing in her mind
which she shrank from putting into words. Did she believe that I was
responsible for this grim tragedy which had so suddenly thrown its
shadow over my humdrum little life?

CHAPTER V

THE GRACIOUSNESS OF THE DUKE

At a quarter-past three that afternoon I was ushered into the presence
of the Duke of Rowchester. I had never seen him before, and his
personality at once interested me. He was a small man, grey-haired,
keen-eyed, clean shaven. He received me in a somewhat bare apartment,
which he alluded to as his workroom, and I found him seated before a
desk strewn with papers. He rose immediately at my entrance, and I
could feel that he was taking more than usual note of my appearance.

"You are Mr. Ducaine," he said, holding out his hand. "I am very glad
to see you."

He motioned me to a chair facing the window, a great uncurtained affair,
through which the north light came flooding in, whilst he himself sat in
the shadows.

"I trust," he said, "that you have quite recovered from your last
night's indisposition. My daughter has been telling me about it."

"Quite, thank you," I answered. "Lady Angela and Colonel Ray were very
kind to me."

He nodded, and then glanced at the papers on his desk.

"I have been going through several matters connected with the estate,
Mr. Ducaine," he said, "and I have come across one which concerns you."

"The proposed lease of the Grange," I remarked.

"Exactly. It seems that you arranged a three years' tenancy with Mr.
Hulshaw, my agent, and were then not prepared to carry it out."

"It was scarcely my own fault," I interposed. "I explained the
circumstances to Mr. Hulshaw. I was promised two pupils if I took a
suitable house in this neighbourhood, but, after all my plans were
concluded, their father died unexpectedly, and their new guardian made
other arrangements."

"Exactly," the Duke remarked. "The only reason why I have alluded to
the matter is that I disapprove of the course adopted by my agent, who,
I believe, enforced the payment of a year's rent from you."

"He was within his rights, your Grace," I said.

"He may have been," the Duke admitted, "but I consider his action
arbitrary. Not only that, but it was unnecessary, for he has already
found another tenant for the place. I have instructed him, therefore,
to send you a cheque for the amount you paid him, less the actual cost
of preparing the lease."

Now my entire capital at that moment was