ld,
Duplay came and told me that Harry Tristram has no title to the peerage
or to Blent. I'm not going to trouble you with the details now. It comes
to this--Harry was born before, not after, the marriage of his parents.
Duplay says Mina knows all about it, and will give us information that
will make the proof easy. That's a tolerably startling story, eh? One's
prepared for something where Lady Tristram was involved, but this----!"

It was fortunate that he did not glance at Neeld; Neeld had tried to
appear startled, but had succeeded only in looking supremely miserable.
But Iver's eyes were gazing straight in front of him under brows that
frowned heavily.

"Now, what I want you to do," he resumed, "and I'm sure you won't refuse
me, is this. I'm inclined to dismiss the whole thing as a blunder. I
believe Duplay's honest, but I think certain facts in his own position
have led him to be too ready to believe a mere yarn. But I've consented
to see Mina and hear what she has to say. And I said I should bring you
as a witness. I go to Merrion Lodge to-morrow for this purpose, and I
shall rely on you to accompany me." With that the cigar made its
appearance; Iver lit it and lay back in his chair, frowning still in
perplexity and vexation. He had not asked his friend's opinion but his
services. It was characteristic of him not to notice this fact. And the
fact did nothing to relieve Neeld's piteous embarrassment.

"I knew it all along;" he might say that. "I know nothing about it;" he
might act that. Or he might temporize for a little while. This was what
he did.

"It would make a great difference if this were true?" His voice shook,
but Iver was absorbed.

"An enormous difference," said Iver (Lady Tristram herself had once said
the same). "I marry my daughter to Lord Tristram of Blent or to--to
whom? You'll call that snobbishness, or some people would. I say it's
not snobbish in us new men to consider that. It's the right thing for us
to do, Neeld. Other things equal--if the man's a decent fellow and the
girl likes him--I say it's the right thing for us to do. That's the way
it always has happened, and the right way too."

Mr Neeld nodded. He had sympathy with these opinions.

"But if it's true, why, who's Harry Tristram? Oh, I know it's all a
fluke, a damned fluke, if you like, Neeld, and uncommonly hard on the
boy. But the law's the law, and for my own part I'm not in favor of
altering it. Now do you suppose I want m