Phœbe took her ladyship’s proffered arm; Lionel Hammerton opened the door, and the two women went up-stairs to sit and talk of the past and the present, and the time to come; to have one of those long confiding gossips which are so charming to newly-married friends. But there was a gloomy shadow now and then which seemed to lay an icy finger upon their warm and tender words--the shadow of the dead man, Amy’s half-brother--who lay in that darkened room above. The gentlemen, when they were alone, adjourned, upon Earl Verner’s invitation, to the billiard-room, not for the purpose of playing at the fascinating game of billiards, but to smoke and talk and drink spirits and hot water before they went to bed. Lord Verner had heard in town that if Tallant had lived two more days, he would only have lived to be a disgraced and ruined man. His shares in the Meter Works had been sent into the market and sold, a heap of bills had been dishonoured, and he was involved to the last degree. “I have a shrewd guess that he came down here to see if he could get money from his sister; knowing her generous disposition, I do not doubt that he came here as a forlorn hope. My solicitor said the opinion in town was that he had committed suicide.” “I am anxious to see his servants,” said Mr. Bales. “I think his butler will be able to give some strong testimony against this man Gibbs.” Then, upon a remark from Lionel, they discussed the career of this miserable wretch. Lionel did not hesitate to relate the full particulars of that scene at the Ashford Club, which our readers will remember. The detective thereupon added some other curious details of the downward career of Gibbs, carefully guarding himself in respect to Richard Tallant’s connection with some of the transactions which he narrated. If his lordship had not been “a sort of relation” of the dead man, he would have made his stories more piquant with the introduction of some of the financier’s schemes. There was quite a cloud of smoke amongst the beautiful carved leather work of the billiard-room ceiling, before the Earl and his friends thought it necessary to adjourn. Their closing conversation turned upon the great success of Arthur Phillips as an artist; and Earl Verner complimented him more particularly upon his taste in selecting a wife. Arthur deftly changed the subject, and Lionel readily caught at the opportunity to urge his brother to take no steps against that silly policeman at Brazencrook; but Earl Verner would make no promise at all about it. “We will talk of that to-morrow,” he said.