"I think you may omit all that part, Mr Hurkle," said her ladyship, graciously. "Thank you, my lady. Hem!" said the visitor, going on reading. "`Decided to take up case myself, Mr Slant being in Paris'--That is the end of that entry, my lady." "Thank you," said her ladyship, bowing, and Tom began to whistle softly, and to wonder what the man would say if he kicked his hat across the room like a football. "`Friday, thirteent,'" continued the visitor, turning over a leaf. "Hem!" His cough seemed to be brought on by the fact that he was in the presence of the nobility, and it troubled him slightly as he went on--"`Melton, Charles, Esquire, 150 Duke Street, Saint James. Went out with bull-dog, 10:50, Burlington Arcade, Gardens, Vigo Street, Regent Street, Portland Place, Upper Gimp Street. Must have got into house there. Missed. Took up clue in Duke Street 2:30. Came back. Admiration Club. Back home at 11:30,'--That is the second entry, my lady." "Thank you, Mr Hurkle--proceed," said her ladyship; and Lord Barmouth yawned so loudly that her ladyship turned upon him with a portentous frown. "`Saturday, fourteent,' Hem!" said Mr Hurkle. "`Met C.M. in Strand. Followed to hosier's shop; stayed ten minutes--gloves. Went west. Cosmo Club. Stayed an hour. Came out. Walked to Barker's, Jermyn Street,' Hem!" Mr Hurkle looked up after coughing apologetically. "Barker's--notorious gambling house, my lady." "Bosh!" said Tom. "Fellows play a friendly game of pool sometimes." "I must request that you will not interrupt, Lord Diphoos," said her ladyship, sternly. "Time to interrupt when I'm called upon to listen to a cock-and-bull story like this," cried Tom. "Barker's isn't a notorious gambling house." Mr Hurkle raised his eyebrows and then his hand to his lips, and said "Hem!" "May I ask how you know?" said her ladyship. "Been there myself, hundreds of times," said Tom, sturdily. "Oh!" ejaculated her ladyship; and that "Oh!" was wonderful in the meaning it expressed. For it seemed to say, "I thought as much! That accounts for the amount of money squandered away!" and her ladyship gazed at her son from between her half-closed lids as she said aloud, "Go on, Mr Hurkle, if you please." "Hem! `Left Barker's at eleven Pee Hem. Returned to Duke Street.' That is the whole of the third entry, my lady." "Thank you. Proceed." "Eleven o'clock, eh?" said Tom. "Well, very respectable time." "Be silent, if you please, sir. Continue, Mr Hurkle." "`Sunday, fifteent. Went out at three. To Barker's, Jermyn Street.'" "Hum! Gambling house on a Sunday," said her ladyship, sarcastically. "Continue, Mr Hurkle." "Here, shall I finish for you?" cried Tom. "Went to Barker's, and had a chop for lunch, read the papers till dinnertime--a wicked wretch, on a Sunday too; then dined--soup, fish, cutlet, cut, off the joint, pint o' claret, and on a Sunday. Is that right, my hawk-eyed detective?" "No, my lord. Hem!"