has youth on her side."

"Yes, yes, I shall live for her, be sure of that." He left them and
presently spoke to his nephew alone in his study.

"Do what you can for them. Handford and Vane are getting off this
afternoon, the rest early to-morrow. I don't think I shall be able
to dine with them to-night. Tom's father will be here. I fear he
is likely to be prostrated when he knows that all is over."

"No, he's not that kind of man, uncle. Mary tells me he will want
to get to the bottom of this in his own way. He's one of the
fighting sort, but he believes in a lot of queer things. I'm going
in to Newton with Colonel Vane, and shall meet Mannering there
about--about Sir Howard Fellowes. He'll come down to-morrow, no
doubt, perhaps to-night. Mannering will know."

"And tell Mannering to insist on a detective called Peter
Hardcastle for the inquiry. If he's left Scotland Yard and acting
independently, none the less engage him. I shall, of course,
thankfully pay anything to get this tragedy explained."

"Be sure they will explain it."

"If they do not I shall be tempted to leave altogether. Indeed, I
may do so in any case. Mary will never reconcile herself to live
here now."

"Don't bother about the future, don't think about it. Consider
yourself, and take a little rest this afternoon. Everybody is very