The lawyer and his guest did not go to the drawing room, as Mrs. Hilliston sent word that she was going to bed with a bad headache. Under the circumstances Claude took his leave, having, as he thought, extracted all necessary information from Hilliston. Moreover, he was anxious to get back to Tait's chambers and hear what the little man had to tell him about Mrs. Bezel. Hilliston said good-by to him at the door. "I shall see you at Eastbourne, I suppose," he said genially. "Yes. I will drive over and tell you what Miss Paynton says." The door closed, and Hilliston, with a frown on his face, stood looking at the floor. He was by no means satisfied with the result of the interview. "I wish I could stop him," he muttered, clenching his fist; "stop him at any price. If he goes on he will learn the truth, and if he learns the truth--ah----" He drew a long breath, and went upstairs to his wife. As he ascended the stairs it seemed to him as though he heard the halting step of Nemesis following stealthily behind. CHAPTER XIX. TAIT BRINGS NEWS. AS quick as a fast hansom could take him, Claude drove to Earls Street, and found Tait impatiently waiting his arrival. The little man had a look of triumph in his eyes, which showed that his interview with Mrs. Bezel had been to some purpose. Dormer had placed wine and biscuits on the table, and, made hungry by his long journey to Hampstead, Tait was partaking of these modest refreshments when Claude entered the room. "I thought you were never coming," said he, glancing at his watch; "past ten o'clock. You must have had an interesting conversation with Hilliston to stay so long." "I have had a very interesting conversation. And you?" "Oh, I got back thirty minutes ago, after being more than an hour with your mother." "Was she disappointed at my non-appearance?" "Very much so, but I explained that you had to dine with Hilliston. She did not seem to like that either." "Absurd! She thinks no end of Hilliston, and advised me to see as much of him as possible." "Nevertheless, the idea that you were dining with him did not please her; I could only quiet her by telling all I know about Mrs. Hilliston." When Tait made this remark Claude was taking off his cloak, but he paused in doing so to ask a question. "What possible interest can my mother have in Mrs. Hilliston?" "I don't know. But she asked me who she was, and where she came from. Insisted on a description of her looks, and altogether pumped me dry on the subject. I suppose she wished to know something of Hilliston's domestic felicity, and, as he has not enlightened her on the subject, applied to me."