this errand to-night, I should be going not as a friend, but in
an official capacity, and as such I cannot do it without the doctor's
permission."

"Very well then," she said quietly, "we'll ask Doctor Newington's
permission."

For a little while yet Sir Thomas Ryder seemed to hesitate. Clearly
the girl's arguments, her simple conviction, and her latent energy had
made a marked impression upon him. He was no longer the sceptical
hide-bound official: the man, the gentleman, was tearing away at the
fetters of red tape. All the old instincts of chivalry, which at times
might be dormant in the heart of an English gentleman--but which are
always there nevertheless, hidden away by the mantle of
convention--had been aroused by Louisa's attitude toward the man she
loved, and also by the remembrance of Luke's bearing throughout this
miserable business.

After all what the girl asked was not so very difficult of execution.
There are undoubtedly cases where the usual conventional formulas of
etiquette must give way to serious exigencies. And there was
unanswerable logic in Louisa's arguments: at any time in the near
future that old Rad--either through his own obstinacy, or the
stupidity or ill-will of a servant--got hold of a newspaper, the
suddenness of the blow which he would receive by learning the terrible
news without due preparation, would inevitably prove fatal to him. Sir
Thomas Ryder prided himself on being a diplomatist of the first water:
he did believe that he could so put the necessary questions to Lord
Radclyffe, with regard to Luke, that the old man would not suspect the
truth for a moment. The latter had, of course, known of the murder
before he had been stricken with illness; he had at the time answered
the questions put to him by the police officer, without seeming to be
greatly shocked at the awful occurrence; and it was not likely that he
would be greatly upset at a professional visit from an old friend, who
at the same time had the unravelling of the murder mystery at heart.

All these thoughts mirrored themselves on Sir Thomas's wrinkled face.
He was taking no trouble to conceal them from Louisa. Soon she saw
that she had won her first victory, for her uncle now said with sudden
determination:

"Well, my dear! you have certainly got on the right side of me. Your
aunt always said you had a very persuasive way with you. I'll tell you
what we will do. It is now a quarter to ten--late enough, by Jingo!
We'