Twohourslater，atdinner，whenquiteothermatterswerebeingdiscussed，hetoldhowhehappenedalongoncejustinthenickoftimetodoagreatserviceforafamilywhowereoldfriendsofhis。Theheadofithadsuddenlydiedincircumstancesandsurroundingsofaruinouslydisgracefulcharacter。Ifknowthefactswouldbreaktheheartsoftheinnocentfamilyandputuponthemaloadofunendurableshame。Therewasnohelpbutinagiantlie，andhegirdeduphisloinsandtoldit。
\'Thefamilyneverfoundout，G——？\'
\'Never。Inalltheseyearstheyhaveneversuspected。Theywereproudofhimandhadalwaysreasontobe；theyareproudofhimyet，andtothemhismemoryissacredandstainlessandbeautiful。\'
\'Theyhadanarrowescape，G。\'
\'Indeedtheyhad。\'