been given in regard to Walker it might probably have
excited so little attention that the world would have known nothing
about it till it learned that the poor fellow had not been killed.
But, having been given as to a young nobleman, everybody had heard
of it before dinner-time that evening. Lord Persiflage knew it in
the House of Lords, and Lord Llwddythlw had heard it in the House of
Commons. There was not a club which had not declared poor Hampstead
to be an excellent fellow, although he was a little mad. The
Montressors had already congratulated themselves on the good fortune
of little Lord Frederic; and the speedy death of the Marquis was
prophesied, as men and women were quite sure that he would not
be able in his present condition to bear the loss of his eldest
son. The news was telegraphed down to Trafford Park by the family
lawyer,--with an intimation, however, that, as the accident had been
so recent, no absolute credence should yet be given as to its fatal
result. "Bad fall probably," said the lawyer in his telegram, "but I
don't believe the rest. Will send again when I hear the truth." At
nine o'clock that evening the truth was known in London, and before
midnight the poor Marquis had been relieved from his terrible
affliction. But for three hours it had been supposed at Trafford Park
that Lord Frederic had become the heir to his father's title and his
father's property.

Close inquiry was afterwards made as to the person by whom this false
intelligence had been sent to the newspaper, but nothing certain was
ever asserted respecting it. That a general rumour had prevailed
for a time among many who were out that Lord Hampstead had been the
victim, was found to have been the case. He had been congratulated by
scores of men who had heard that he had fallen. When Tolleyboy was
breaking up the fox, and wondering why so few men had ridden through
the hunt with him, he was told that Lord Hampstead had been killed,
and had dropped his bloody knife out of his hands. But no one would
own as to having sent the telegram. Suspicion attached itself to
an attorney from Kettering who had been seen in the early part of
the day, but it could not be traced home to him. Official inquiry
was made; but as it was not known who sent the message, or to what
address, or from what post town, or even the wording of the message,
official information was not forthcoming. It is probable that Sir
Boreas at the Post Office did not think