These three, however, were “good lives,” but yet not proof against the Zulu assegais and typhoid fever, and so one morning Aubernon woke up and found himself Lord Argentine, a man of thirty who had faced the difficulties of existence, and had conquered.  The situation amused him immensely, and he resolved that riches should be as pleasant to him as poverty had always been.  Argentine, after some little consideration, came to the conclusion that dining, regarded as a fine art, was perhaps the most amusing pursuit open to fallen humanity, and thus his dinners became famous in London, and an invitation to his table a thing covetously desired.  After ten years of lordship and dinners Argentine still declined to be jaded, still persisted in enjoying life, and by a kind of infection had become recognized as the cause of joy in others, in short, as the best of company.  His sudden and tragical death therefore caused a wide and deep sensation.  People could scarcely believe it, even though the newspaper was before their eyes, and the cry of “Mysterious Death of a Nobleman” came ringing up from the street.  But there stood the brief paragraph:  “Lord Argentine was found dead this morning by his valet under distressing circumstances.  It is stated that there can be no doubt that his lordship committed suicide, though no motive can be assigned for the act.  The deceased nobleman was widely known in society, and much liked for his genial manner and sumptuous hospitality.  He is succeeded by,” etc., etc.

By slow degrees the details came to light, but the case still remained a mystery.  The chief witness at the inquest was the deceased’s valet, who said that the night before his death Lord Argentine had dined with a lady of good position, whose named was suppressed in the newspaper reports.  At about eleven o’clock Lord Argentine had returned, and informed his man that he should not require his services till the next morning.  A little later the valet had occasion to cross the hall and was somewhat astonished to see his master quietly letting himself out at the front door.  He had taken off his evening clothes, and was dressed in a Norfolk coat and knickerbockers, and wore a low brown hat.  The valet had no reason to suppose that Lord Argentine had seen him, and though his master rarely kept late hours, thought little of the occurrence till the next morning, when he knocked at the bedroom door at a quarter to nine as usual.  He received no answer, and, after knocking two or three times, entered the room, and saw Lord Argentine’s body leaning forward at an angle from the bottom of the bed.  He found that his master had tied a cord securely to one of the short bed-posts, and, after making a running noose and slipping it round his neck, the unfortunate man must have resolutely fallen forward, to die by slow strangulation.  He was dressed in the light suit in which the valet had seen him go out, and the doctor who was summoned