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 a most trivial molehill, had swelled to such mountainous proportions.

Then Ronald arrived with the Honorable John Ruffin, whom by the luckiest chance he had actually found in his chambers.

The grave and gloomy air with which the Honorable John Ruffin entered the smoking-room was, to an observant person, utterly belied by the sparkle in his eyes, which showed him simmering with quiet joy.

"To say nothing of an assault, an action for malicious imprisonment will certainly lie," he said in a gloomy tone, without any phrase of greeting to the duke.

"Look here; you're not in this cock-and-bull story, too, Ruffin?" said the duke anxiously, rising hastily as he spoke.

"You forget yourself, Osterley. I shouldn't dream of being in any cock-and-bull story," said the Honorable John Ruffin with a most dignified air. "I'm talking about my unfortunate housekeeper, whom you have abused, assaulted, and maliciously imprisoned. Really, Osterley, if your peerage were five centuries older, I could have understood it. I should