on; "indeed, I don't see why I should not
leave this document with you; it will be in honorable hands."

The Colonel bowed. Then he examined the document.

"I see, sir," said he, "the witness is William Hope. May I ask if you
know this William Hope?"

"I was not present at the wedding, sir," said Monckton, "so I can say
nothing about the matter from my own knowledge; but if you please, I will
ask the lady."

"Why didn't she come herself instead of sending you?" asked the Colonel,
distrustfully.

"That's just what I asked her. And she said she had not the heart nor the
courage to come herself. I believe she thought as I was a clergyman, and
not directly interested, I might be more calm than she could be, and give
a little less pain."

"That's all stuff! If she is afraid to come herself, she knows it's an
abominable falsehood. Bring her here with whatever evidence she has got
that this Walter Clifford is my son, and then we will go into this matter
seriously."

Monckton was equal to the occasion.

"You are quite right, sir," said he. "And what business has she to put me
forward as evidence of a transaction I never witnessed? I shall tell her
you expect to see her, and that it is her duty to clear up the affair in
person. Suppose it should be another Mr. Walter Clifford, after all? When
shall I bring her, supposing I have sufficient influence?"

"Bring her to-morrow, as early as you can."

"Well, you know ladies are not early risers: will twelve o'clock do?"

"Twelve o'clock to-morrow, sir," said the Colonel.

The sham parson took his leave, and drove away in a well-appointed
carriage and pair. For we must inform the reader that he had written to
Mr. Middleton for another L100, not much expecting to get it, and that it
had come down by return of post in a draft on a bank in Derby.

* * * * *

Stout Colonel Clifford was now a very unhappy man. The soul of honor
himself, he could not fully believe that his own son had been guilty of
perfidy and crime. But how could he escape _doubts_, and very grave
doubts too? The communication was made by a gentleman who did not seem
really to know more about it than he had been told, but then he was a
clergyman, with no appearance of heat or partiality. He had been easily
convinced that the lady herself ought to have come and said more about
it, and had left an attested copy of the certificate in his (Colonel
Clifford's) hands with a sort of