“A subscription of five hundred pounds, my Lady, would provide for everything—­if it could only be collected.”

“It shall be collected, Moody!  I will pay the subscription out of my own purse.”  Having asserted herself in those noble terms, she spoilt the effect of her own outburst of generosity by dropping to the sordid view of the subject in her next sentence.  “Five hundred pounds is a good bit of money, though; isn’t it, Moody?”

“It is, indeed, my Lady.”  Rich and generous as he knew his mistress to be, her proposal to pay the whole subscription took the steward by surprise.  Lady Lydiard’s quick perception instantly detected what was passing in his mind.

“You don’t quite understand my position in this matter,” she said.  “When I read the newspaper notice of Mr. Tollmidge’s death, I searched among his Lordship’s papers to see if they really were related.  I discovered some letters from Mr. Tollmidge, which showed me that he and Lord Lydiard were cousins.  One of those letters contains some very painful statements, reflecting most untruly and unjustly on my conduct; lies, in short,” her Ladyship burst out, losing her dignity, as usual.  “Lies, Moody, for which Mr. Tollmidge deserved to be horsewhipped.  I would have done it myself if his Lordship had told me at the time.  No matter; it’s useless to dwell on the thing now,” she continued, ascending again to the forms of expression which became a lady of rank.  “This unhappy man has done me a gross injustice; my motives may be seriously misjudged, if I appear personally in communicating with his family.  If I relieve them anonymously in their present trouble, I spare them the exposure of a public subscription, and I do what I believe his Lordship would have done himself if he had lived.  My desk is on the other table.  Bring it here, Moody; and let me return good for evil, while I’m in the humor for it!”

Moody obeyed in silence.  Lady Lydiard wrote a check.

“Take that to the banker’s, and bring back a five-hundred pound note,” she said.  “I’ll inclose it to the clergyman as coming from ’an unknown friend.’  And be quick about it.  I am only a fallible mortal, Moody.  Don’t leave me time enough to take the stingy view of five hundred pounds.”

Moody went out with the check.  No delay was to be apprehended in obtaining the money; the banking-house was hard by, in St. James’s Street.  Left alone, Lady Lydiard decided on occupying her mind in the generous direction by composing her anonymous letter to the clergyman.  She had just taken a sheet of note-paper from her desk, when a servant appeared at the door announcing a visitor—­

“Mr. Felix Sweetsir!”

CHAPTER III.

“My nephew!” Lady Lydiard exclaimed in a tone which expressed astonishment, but certainly not pleasure as well.  “How many years is it since you and I last met?” she asked, in her abruptly straightforward way, as Mr. Felix Sweetsir approached her writing-table.