"'Give me the document,' he said.
"Before I gave it to him--it was in my pocket--I showed him a newspaper
containing a certain announcement.
"'Lord Harry dead?' he cried. 'Impossible! Then Iris is free.'
"'Perhaps you will first read the document.' I drew it out of my
pocket, gave it to him, and retired He should be alone while he read
it.
"Half an hour afterwards I returned. I found him in a state of the most
violent agitation, without, however, any of the weakness which he
betrayed on previous occasions.
"'Mrs. Vimpany,' he cried, 'this is terrible! There is no doubt--not
the least doubt--in my mind that the man Oxbye is the man buried under
the name of Lord Harry, and that he was murdered--murdered in cold
blood--by that worst of villains----'
"'My husband,' I said.
"'Your husband--most unfortunate of wives! As for Lord Harry's share in
the murder, it is equally plain that he knew of it, even if he did not
consent to it. Good heavens! Do you understand? Do you realise what
they have done? Your husband and Iris's husband may be tried--actually
tried--for murder and put to a shameful death. Think of it!'
"'I do think of it, Heaven knows! I think of it every day--I think of
it all day long.
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