ho stole them, and where are they? In our business we can't meddle
with such questions as those."

"You will drop the bill in Chancery then?"

"What good can the bill do us when the diamonds are gone? If Lady
Eustace had anything to do with the robbery--"

"You suspect her, then?"

"No, my lord; no. I cannot say that. I have no right to say that.
Indeed it is not Lady Eustace that I suspect. She has got into bad
hands, perhaps; but I do not think that she is a thief."

"You were suggesting that,--if she had anything to do with the
robbery--"

"Well;--yes;--if she had, it would not be for us to take steps
against her in the matter. In fact, the trustees have decided that
they will do nothing more, and my hands are tied. If the minor, when
he comes of age, claims the property from them, they will prefer to
replace it. It isn't very likely; but that's what they say."

"But if it was an heirloom--" suggested Lord Fawn, going back to the
old claim.

"That's exploded," said Mr. Camperdown. "Mr. Dove was quite clear
about that."

This was the end of the filing of that bill in Chancery as to which
Mr. Camperdown had been so very enthusiastic! Now it certainly was
the case that poor Lord Fawn in his conduct towards Lizzie had
trusted greatly to the support of Mr. Camperdown's legal proceeding.
The world could hardly have expected him to marry a woman against
whom a bill in Chancery was being carried on for the recovery of
diamonds which did not belong to her. But that support was now
altogether withdrawn from him. It was acknowledged that the necklace
was not an heirloom,--clearly acknowledged by Mr. Camperdown! And
even Mr. Camperdown would not express an opinion that the lady had
stolen her own diamonds.

How would it go with him, if after all, he were to marry her? The
bone of contention between them had at any rate been made to vanish.
The income was still there, and Lady Glencora Palliser had all but
promised her friendship. As he entered the India Office on his return
from Mr. Camperdown's chambers, he almost thought that that would
be the best way out of his difficulty. In his room he found his
brother-in-law, Mr. Hittaway, waiting for him. It is always necessary
that a man should have some friend whom he can trust in delicate
affairs, and Mr. Hittaway was selected as Lord Fawn's friend. He was
not at all points the man whom Lord Fawn would have chosen, but for
their close connexion. Mr. Hittaway was talkati