comfort to the
heart of his kind friend's widow, to whom he was afterwards able to
render the material assistance her husband had expressed his anxiety to
afford her.

Mr Fluke returned every day at an unusually early hour from the office
that he might have more of Owen's society.

Owen had mentioned his two naval friends. "Bring them here to dinner,"
said Mr Fluke. "Kezia shall prepare a feast, for they deserve it, and
I'll show them my tulips."

Owen found both Lieutenant Leigh and Langton, who had received his
promotion, at their lodgings. They willingly accepted his invitation,
when he explained who Mr Fluke was, and how much depended on him.
Kezia took care to have a handsome dinner, and a man-servant to wait,
and had, moreover, induced her master to put on a new suit and wig, so
that when Owen came in he scarcely knew him. The two officers undertook
to remain within call in case their evidence should be required at the
trial.

They had just taken their places at dinner when David Rowe was
announced. Having paid his respects to the master of the house, shaking
hands with Owen, and made his bow to the other guests, he took his seat.

"I do not want to spoil anybody's appetite, and I hope good news won't
do that," he said, "for good news, and wonderful news, I have to
communicate. Have I your leave to make it known in the presence of
these gentlemen, Mr Fluke?"

"Certainly, certainly, if you think fit, Mr Rowe," was the answer.

"Then allow me to congratulate Lord Arlingford on his accession to his
family title and estates, but I hope, as I do so, that he will not
object to take the name of Ashurst. We have made quick work of it.
From information I received, I was induced to go down and see the
_ci-devant_ Lord Arlingford. I found him very ill and without a
particle of combativeness, so I told him of all the information I
possessed, and gave him his choice to contest the point, assuring him
that we had unlimited supplies at command, or to yield at once, and save
a family scandal. As he appeared inclined to take my advice, I promised
him an annuity of a thousand a year, knowing from his circumstances that
he was not likely to enjoy even so much as that should he retain his
title. He immediately accepted my offer, acknowledging that your claim
was valid. Of course I made my offer subject to the approval of the
true Lord Arlingford. There must be a trial _pro forma_, legally to
settle the point, but