The Volume Of The Sacred Law.

evening at eight . Something must be settled before the world gets to know of it ; for if it comes to the ears of my sisters it would be a blow that would kill them . There was nothing to your knowledge that could possibly explain suicide ? " " Nothing whatever ! I was , as I believe , in the strictest confidence of the Earl , who has confided to me matters of delicate

interest . He is , as you know , a very wealthy man , and his domestic life " "My mother . Ah , yes ! he was attached to her , Ford , you know . Could the memory of her death have caused this ? No ! I can ' t think that . He seemed so happy last night . It was the ancestral feast , and the last of the guests did not leave until nearly one . "

At this moment the doctors arrived , and were shown into the library . After a few words in an undertone with Mr . Ford , they went upstairs to the room where the body lay , and were absent about half an hour . When they came down Dr . Fossett left the house , and the three others at once repaired to the gallery , accompanied by the servant who had made the discovery .

Mr . Ford questioned her , but with little result . Nothing in the room afforded any clue to the mystery , except that in the fender of one of the fireplaces—the one nearest the folding doors leading to the hall—a mass of burnt paper was discovered . Francis , the old butler , was now sent for from the library , and

he told all he knew of the lady visitor of the previous night . He saw her when she first arrived , about eleven o ' clock , as the Earl was engaged with his guests in the gallery . She was a short woman , rather stout , with a pleasant , clear-cut face , and between forty and fifty years of age , he should think . She would not wait when

she heard what was taking place , but elected to return later , as she wished to see Lord Culverhouse on a most important matter . " She called again about midnight , " Francis said , " and I showed her into the library , where she waited over an hour for the visitors to leave . " Francis had informed his lordship of the lady's presence in

the library , but as he had evidently forgotten , he reminded him just as he wished "Goodnight" to Farmer Morgan and his wife , who were the last to leave the house . " And what then , Francis ? " asked Mr . Ford . " Then , sir , he walked over to the library and went in . "

" Well ? " from Lord Crowdley , as the old man seemed to be trying to collect his thoughts . " About half an hour afterwards he came out of the library and sent Stokes for me , and ordered me not to wait up , but to request your lordship and the ladies to retire also . "

" And we went , Ford , " eagerly interrupted his lordship . " I should say it was then about half-past one . " "Yes : that must have been about the time , " acquiesced the old

man . " And is that all that is known ? Who saw the lady quit the house ? " asked Mr . Ford . " No one could have done so , sir , because I was the last person to go upstairs . " " What lights were left burning ? "

" There were lamps in the library , where my master and the lady were ; two in the hall ; and the bedroom lamp I had lighted and placed in the vestibule for him . " " Were these lamps all alight when you got down this morning ? " queried Mr . Ford .

" No , sir . Only one of the library lamps , which had been removed into the gallery where it was found . " " Had the bedroom lamp been removed ? " " No , sir . It was just where I left it ; it had burned itself out . " " It was burnt out , you say ? "

" Yes , sir . " " How was it you left this lamp in the vestibule at all , Francis ? " "Because when master showed the lady out he could have it in his hand whilst extinguishing the other lamps , and afterwards to go upstairs with , " answered the butler . " Did you fasten the front doors ?"

" No , sir . ' " And how were the fastenings this morning , Francis ?" "Just as I left them , sir . " Mr . Ford made some lengthy entries in his pocket-book , and , after requesting Francis to keep as much as he was acquainted with to himself , dismissed him .

" But what caused all this , sir ? " the old man asked as he was leaving the room . " Heart disease , Francis , I am afraid , " said Mr . Ford before anyone else could reply . And Francis went at once to the kitchen and told it to the

servants , who believed it . The three men sat silent for some minutes , each buried deep in his own thoughts . During the time he was questioning old Francis Mr . Ford had been forming in his own mind some way out of the

terrible plight the family would be plunged into were it ever known how Lord Culverhouse had died . He could himself penetrate some distance into the mystery . As lie had truly said , he was thoroughly within the confidence of the late Earl , and knew that nothing save some dishonor falling suddenly upon him had been the cause of his suicide . He discarded at once any doubt as to it

being as the doctors had said , and his shrewd nature immediatel y led him to connect the unknown woman who was with the Earl when the household retired with the case . To show any signs of indecision before the servants Mr . Ford knew would be fatal to their attempt at secrecy , so that he dare not obtain any further

details than old Francis had given of her . For fully a quarter of an hour lie sat paying no heed to the remarks from the doctor , who , although a clever physician and a man much respected by the inmates of the Court , was altogether deficient of the mental application of the smart North-country lawyer .

At last Mr . Ford stepped over to the bay window m which Lord Crowdley and the doctor were chatting . "Now , Gould , ' ' he said , looking straight into the eyes of the doctor , " No man is more surprised than myself to hear you say Earl Culverhouse died of . heart disease . We must let the world have the news at once , and circulate it among the villagers and town people without a moment ' s

delay . " " But , my dear sir , I do not say it was heart disease . " " No , Gould , you did not , but you must . You know perfectly well that there is a heart ailment in the family , and that you have treated the Earl more than once for some complaint of the kind .

If you had not found the bottle which had contained the poison in the deceased ' s pocket you would hardly have guessed , I fancy , that it was suicide . Am I correct 1 "

" Somewhat . " " Well , then , the case is clear . Circulate the intelligence to morrow , and let the relatives of bis lordship come to view the body if they choose . We will telegraph for Sir William Young , the eminent Harley-street doctor , in the morning , and he shall have a consultation with you , and agree with you . The prevention of an

inquest I can manage , and then , my lord , " turning to the young man , who was terribly excited at what was being said , " I would advise you to make a Continental tour with your sisters immediately the funeral is over . " " But , Ford , what you suggest is impossible . If my poor father

really did die by suicide the fact should be so stated . " " Sir , " replied the lawyer , who had no intention of being turned rom any view he had taken of a matter such as this , " it is my duty to advise very stringent measures to meet a very stringent case . It is impossible for us to disclose what we know , or [ laying much

stress upon his words ] what we think we know . Lord Culverhouse had a heart affection . Tlut Gould admits . Let it , therefore , be heart affection that suddenly killed your father . I myself have no doubt whatever but that the Earl died from the self-administration of laudanum ; but what of that ? Why shed a feeling of dishonor

upon your house when no end is gained by doing so ? To impress you further , the visit of that lady last night is no mere coincidence . The connecting links between her—whoever she was—and your