ed in the letters
passing to and fro, the correspondence had already lasted for some
months. What enraged Captain Bayley most of all was that Mr. Griffith
would not admit that any doubt whatever existed as to Frank Norris's
guilt, nor that there was a shadow of reasonable suspicion against his
cousin; and each time the evidence was marshalled up, Captain Bayley had
to acknowledge to himself that the lawyer's arguments were unanswerable,
and that the only grounds that he himself had for his doubts were his
affection for Frank, and the fixed, passionate belief of Alice Hardy in
his innocence. That day Captain Bayley was exceptionally out of temper
and irascible, for he had that morning received a letter from Mr.
Griffith positively declining to draw up a clause for insertion in the
will of the nature he desired, and saying that if Captain Bayley
insisted upon its insertion, much as he should regret it after so long a
connection had existed between them, he should prefer that his client
should place himself in other hands.

"I trust," he said, "that this will cause no interruption in the
personal friendship which has for years existed between us, but I would
risk even that rather than draft a clause which I consider would be in
the highest degree unjust, and which, I tell you fairly, would, I
believe, be upset in any court of law. Nothing would, in my opinion, be
more unfair, I may say more monstrous, than that a hand should be
stretched from the grave to strike a blow at the honour of a young man
of stainless reputation."

Captain Bayley at all times disliked opposition; he disliked it
especially when, as in the present instance, he felt that he was in the
wrong.

When they returned to their hotel the waiter informed Alice that a
gentleman had called twice, while they were out, to see her. He had not
left a card, saying that Miss Hardy would not know his name, but that he
had a message to give her, and that he would not occupy her time more
than a few minutes if she would be good enough to see him.

"It sounds quite mysterious," Alice said, smiling to her uncle.

"Was it a young gentleman or an old?" she asked the waiter in French.

"An elderly gentleman, Signora."

"Some elderly millionaire, Alice," Captain Bayley growled sarcastically,
as they ascended the stairs, "who has seen you in the streets, and
wishes to lay himself and his fortune at your feet."

"That must be it," Alice laughed. "But perhaps he has bro