trying to bear as the
pompousness of Doctor Newington.

As a matter of fact, Louisa had absolutely ceased to think. The whole
future from this moment appeared as an absolute blank. She had not
begun to envisage the possibility of going back to the hotel, having
utterly failed in accomplishing that which she had set mind and heart
to do: the throwing of the first feeble ray of light on the
impenetrable darkness of Luke's supposed guilt. She certainly had not
envisaged the going to bed to-night, the getting up to-morrow, the
beginning of another day with its thousand and one trivial tasks and
incidents, all the while that she had failed in doing that which alone
could prevent the awful catastrophe of to-morrow!

Luke standing in the dock, like a common criminal!

"I'll just see about getting a cab, dear," said her uncle kindly.

The first of those thousand and one trivialities which would go on and
on from now onward in endless monotony, whilst Luke prepared for his
trial, for his condemnation, perhaps for death.

It was indeed unthinkable. No wonder that her mind rebelled at the
task, refusing all thoughts, remaining like a gray, blank slate from
which every impression of past and future has been wiped out.

Sir Thomas Ryder went out of the room, and Mr. Warren went with him.
They left the door ajar, so she could hear them talking in the hall.
Mr. Warren said:

"Don't go out, Sir Thomas. It's a horrid night. Fletcher will get you
a cab."

And Sir Thomas replied: "Thank you."

"Won't you," said the younger man, "wait in the library?"

He had apparently rung a bell, for the man servant came into the hall
and was duly told off to whistle for a cab.

"I'd rather go into another room, for a moment, Mr. Warren, if I may,"
said Sir Thomas. "There are just one or two little questions I would
like to put to you."

"Certainly, Sir Thomas," replied Mr. Warren with alacrity.

The two men went together into the dining-room. Louisa by shutting her
eyes could almost see them sitting there in the stately and gloomy
room, which she knew so well. She could call to mind the last occasion
on which she had lunched there, with Lord Radclyffe and Luke, and
Edie, and Jim. It was the day on which the impostor first forced his
way into the house. Louisa had a clear vision of him even now, just as
she had seen him standing that day in the hall, before his interview
with Lord Radclyffe. Parker was helping him with his coat and Louis