Judith's 注目する，もくろむs followed hers, then she made a quick involuntary gesture of concealment. C駘estine's gaze was riveted on the 手渡す that held the couvre-pied 堅固に over the tell-tale bodice. The delicate 肌, the slender pink-tipped fingers were all blackened with 署名／調印する.

"Miladi will take her supper." The maid's トン was perfectly respectful, but there was a subtle change in its 質.

Judith did not look up. After that first 直感的に gesture she had not moved.

"That will do, C駘estine, I will （犯罪の）一味 when I have finished," she said decidedly.

Left alone, she leaned 今後 and, taking up the wineglass, drank off the contents feverishly.

Then she stood up, a tall わずかな／ほっそりした 人物／姿／数字, with 広大な／多数の／重要な terror-haunted 注目する，もくろむs, 燃やすing in a white 悲劇の 直面する. Catching a glimpse of herself in the long pier glass, of the disfiguring stains on the 前線 of her gown, she shuddered violently.

Then, she caught at her dress, she tore at the fastenings with her blackened fingers, and threw it from her on the 床に打ち倒す. She gathered it up in a heap in her 武器 and, crossing the room to a small wardrobe that 含む／封じ込めるd some of her oldest dresses and was seldom used, she thrust her bundle 深い 負かす／撃墜する in the 井戸／弁護士席, dropped an old skirt over it, の近くにd the door and locked it, and, after a moment's thought, put the 重要な away in her jewel-事例／患者. Then she looked 負かす／撃墜する at her 署名／調印する-stained 手渡すs. Pumice 石／投石する 除去するd the worst stains from her fingers themselves, but the 署名／調印する had got under her delicate nails, and no 成果／努力 of hers would move it.

She 小衝突d on, mechanically. Her thoughts were 支援する at the flat; what was happening there? she asked herself. Had the dead man been discovered?

What would the other man do—he who had met her on the stairs—when he heard what had happened in the flat that night? Would he 公然と非難する her, 始める，決める the police to search for her?

Long fits of trembling shook her from 長，率いる to foot. She tried to tell herself that it was impossible that anything should connect her with the dead man—that as Lady Carew she was 安全な, all links with the past destroyed; she felt that she was standing on a 砕く-地雷, that at any moment the 爆発 might come, and this late-設立する happiness, at which she had snatched, be taken from her.

Presently there were sounds in Sir Anthony's dressing-room; she could hear him walking about, 開始 and shutting drawers. A passing wonder that he should be at home so 早期に struck her—that he had not come in to ask how she was. Then a swift remembrance of the revolver she had taken from his room flashed across her mind. She had left it in the flat. Would he find out its loss? A sudden 発覚 that it must have been with this 武器 the 致命的な 発射 was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d （機の）カム to her! She recollected that it was on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する where it had been thrown when she groped for it. The 殺害者 must have 設立する it there, must have used it.

The horror of the thought drew her to the の近くにd door. She tried it—it was locked.

"Anthony!" she said very softly. "Anthony!"

明らかに he did not hear her; there was no answer. She listened; he was still walking about the room. She heard him go to his wardrobe; she heard him give the little cough that was so familiar, the sound of his breathing. Suddenly she was reminded of the 不明瞭 of that room in Cyril Stanmore's flat, of the breathing she had heard as she waited and listened—the thought of it sickened her.

She turned and tottered 支援する to her couch.

一時期／支部 V

THE blind was up, the morning light was streaming in through the window.

Judith raised herself in bed, leaned 今後 clasping her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her 膝s, and 星／主役にするd straight before her, in 哀れな, dazed bewilderment. All night long she had been 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするing and turning in bed, going over again that dead and buried past, dreading the 現在の—the 未来.

But this morning as the 有望な 日光 streamed into the room, it seemed impossible that yesterday's—that last night's happenings could really have taken place.

It was—it must be—she told herself, some hideous dream.

In her ordered life, of late, that past in which Stanmore played his part had seemed so very far away, she had been trying to teach herself to forget it.

Was it possible, she asked herself shudderingly, that it was she, Anthony Carew's wife, who had gone to Stanmore's flat last night, who had stood there, panting like some caged wild creature, while that terrible 行為 was done?

Was it, could it, be a dream? She slipped out of bed, and stood for a moment with her 明らかにする feet on the Persian rug at the 味方する.

She 打ち明けるd her jewel-事例／患者, and took out the 重要な of the small wardrobe, then, crossing the room quickly with trembling footsteps she thrust the wardrobe door 支援する and felt inside the 井戸／弁護士席. Yes! Yes! there was the dress she had worn last night—as she had known too 井戸／弁護士席 in her heart it would be.

Shutting her 注目する，もくろむs, she could 解任する the very 形態／調整 of those horrible stains, those dull crimson splashes. There was no mistake; she had known all along there could be 非，不，無.

She stood still until at last some sound from Anthony's room roused her. She started and listened, the colour flashing into her cheeks. She told herself that she could not speak out about last night's doings, as her better angel had been counselling her. She was tied and bound by the cords of Anthony's love, by Baby Paul's tiny 手渡すs.

Then, shivering, she got 支援する into bed again.

She could hear her husband moving about in his room for some time; then she heard his door の近くに, and realized with a curious sense of bewilderment that he had gone 負かす／撃墜する without coming to 問い合わせ how she was.

At last C駘estine appeared with the tea. The sight of it was very 感謝する to Judith's parched mouth; she drank it 熱望して.

The maid uttered a little shocked exclamation as she saw her mistress's 直面する.

"But Miladi has surely the influenza," she cried. "Miladi must remain in bed and 召喚する the good Dr. ツバメ, is it not so?"

"Certainly not!" Judith 消極的なd decidedly. "The very notion of lying in bed longer was hateful to her. I am やめる 井戸／弁護士席. Get my bath ready, C駘estine. I shall get up at once."

She felt a little better when she had splashed in and out of her bath, when C駘estine had arranged her hair in its usual golden 栄冠を与える, but she turned with loathing from the white morning gown the maid brought her. She would never wear white again, she thought with a shudder. Yet when her blue serge was fastened she wondered whether her white 直面する did not look more colourless by contrast. She rubbed her cheeks rosy before she went downstairs.

Sir Anthony was standing at the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する when she entered the breakfast room; he was 明らかに 吸収するd in his correspondence, a 広大な／多数の／重要な pile of letters lying at his 権利 手渡す—the papers were on the fender. He looked 批判的に at his wife as she （機の）カム in.

"How are you this morning, Judith?" he asked 静かに.

He hardly waited for her answer. There was a new, almost an antagonistic 公式文書，認める in his 発言する／表明する. Judith was conscious of it, without in any way realizing its significance. Her brain was obsessed by a fresh thought, the papers on the 床に打ち倒す had riveted her attention. What would they say about last night's 悲劇?

Sir Anthony looked at her. "Do you want anything over here, Judith?" he asked.

Judith had little thought to spare for anything this morning, or she would have seen that his 直面する was pale beneath his tan, that there were new 厳しい lines 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his mouth, that his 注目する，もくろむs were 冷淡な and 緊張するd.

"The paper, please."

Sir Anthony's 注目する，もくろむs scrutinized her coldly as he passed her the paper, 公式文書，認めるd the two red 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs that were beginning to 燃やす on her cheeks, to tell of her inward excitement.

She ran her 注目する，もくろむs 負かす／撃墜する the different columns. No! There was no について言及する of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flat—of its terrible secret. Evidently nothing had been discovered.

She 押し進めるd her untasted egg from her, with a feeling of sick loathing, as she realized that the dead man must be there now, alone in his flat, his 注目する，もくろむs still 星／主役にするing glassily.

Sir Anthony was to all 外見s still 占領するd with his letters, but over the 最高の，を越す of the sheet his 注目する，もくろむs were furtively scanning her, watching her every movement.

Suddenly there was the sound of 発言する／表明するs in the hall. Judith started and flinched visibly, then her 直面する （疑いを）晴らすd, and she looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する with 救済 as there was a cry, "Judith! Judith!"

Sir Anthony threw 負かす／撃墜する his paper. "Peggy! What in the world is she doing here at this time in the morning?"

"Why, Peggy has come to ask how Judith is, to be sure," the young lady answered for herself as she appeared in the doorway. "We were so sorry you weren't 井戸／弁護士席 enough to come to the 歓迎会 yesterday afternoon, Judith dear," stooping to kiss her sister-in-法律, "but you look as fit as a fiddle this morning, real country roses in your cheeks. I am so glad," with another kiss.

Peggy Carew was not like her half-brother, Sir Anthony. She did not in the least 似ている her mother, Theresa, Lady Carew, who since Sir Anthony's marriage had 除去するd to the Dower House. A friend of Peggy's had once said there was nothing in the world she was like, unless it were a dewy wild rose 選ぶd from an English hedgerow.

This morning her cheeks were 紅潮／摘発するd by 演習, her 広大な／多数の／重要な brown 注目する，もくろむs were 十分な of laughter, her young red lips were smiling, the fluffy brown hair was curling in pretty disorder 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her white forehead.

"Stephen （機の）カム with me," she went on with a laugh. "He 手配中の，お尋ね者 to know how you were too."

The dark clean-shaven man who had followed her into the room, and who was 明白に かなり her 上級の, shook 手渡すs with Lady Carew with a smile.

"When you were not at the Denboroughs' Peggy and I made up our minds to 支払う／賃金 you an 早期に visit."

"Oh, I am やめる 井戸／弁護士席 again this morning," Judith answered, 軍隊ing a smile to her stiff lips. "Last night I had a 頭痛."

"Oh, last night she was 絶対 hors de 戦闘," Sir Anthony interposed. "I had to 演習 my 当局, and tell her she really must stay at home."

As he spoke, Stephen Crasster, catching a glimpse of his 直面する in a distant glass, was surprised to see that an 半端物 mocking smile was 新たな展開ing his mouth beneath its drooping dark moustache. Anthony Carew and Stephen Crasster had been friends ever since their college days. That their paths in life had since lain far apart had not in any way 少なくなるd their affection for one another. Carew of Heron's Carew was a rich man, Stephen Crasster had had until six months ago to work hard, to make a 指名する and a living at his chosen profession, the 法律. Then an old uncle in Australia, of whom he had know nothing, had died and left him a かなりの fortune. So far the bequest had 明らかに 影響する／感情d his career but little; he worked as hard or harder than ever, but he himself was fully conscious that life now held 確かな 甘い 可能性s at which he had never hitherto dared to ちらりと見ること.

公式文書，認めるing his 表現 as he watched Peggy, 発言／述べるing how 絶えず he was in 出席 on the girl, Judith had come of late to guess the direction his hopes had taken, and to rejoice that her young sister-in-法律 had won the love of so true a man.

But Peggy was still unconscious; there could be no 疑問 of that. To her Stephen Crasster was 単に her oldest friend—it was obvious that she regarded him as 始める，決める—both by age and experience—on a very different 計画（する） from herself and the young people who were wont to surround her at her parties and dances.

"Lord Milman was at the Denboroughs' last night," Stephen said, 演説（する）／住所ing himself to Anthony. "He was disappointed not to 会合，会う you."

Judith looked at her husband in surprise.

"But, Anthony—the Denboroughs'—surely you went?"

Sir Anthony looked away. He 選ぶd up one of his letters and slipped his paper-knife under the flap absently.

"I thought it better not to go. I sent excuses for us both."

"You did not go," Judith repeated in びっくり仰天. "Oh, Anthony, I am sorry. Where did you—" A swift wave of colour flooded her 直面する as she stopped short. She looked at him anxiously, timidly. It was not possible that he had remained at home last night—that he had even seen her go out?

There was no 返答 in his 注目する，もくろむs as he met hers. "I am very glad I did," he said dryly. "It enabled me to go over to see Venables. I had been trying to get it in for some time."

Judith breathed more 自由に. "Still, I am very sorry my stupid 頭痛 should have come on that very day. Peggy, is your mother going to—"

She paused. Jenkins, the butler, had appeared in the doorway.

"If you please, Sir Anthony, 視察官 Furnival, of Scotland Yard, wishes to speak to Mr. Crasster on the telephone."

"Does he, indeed!" Crasster's keen, dark 直面する lighted up. "You will excuse me, Lady Carew. This may be something of importance; they must have put him through from my place."

The telephone stood すぐに opposite the door in the hall.

The three left in the breakfast room could hear him speaking plainly.

"Hello! That you, 視察官?...Yes, I remember you 約束d...Yes, yes, やめる 権利; where is it?...Leinster Avenue...権利. I will be with you as soon as possible."

Leinster Avenue! Judith caught her breath; her 直面する was as white as death when he （機の）カム 支援する.

But Crasster had no attention to spare for her; he had 注目する，もくろむs only for Peggy, who was now teasing her brother to take her to Ranelagh on Saturday.

Sir Anthony looked up. "Nothing wrong, I hope, Crasster?"

"Nothing at all!" Crasster returned heartily. "Only that I must get 支援する as soon as possible. Peggy, are you going to give me the 楽しみ of 運動ing you home?"

"Oh, I don't know; I think you are very tiresome! I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to play with Paul. Why must you go?"

There was a smile in the man's 注目する，もくろむs as they looked 負かす／撃墜する at her petulant 直面する. "It is all in the way of 商売／仕事, Peggy. But if you don't want to come, I will leave the car for you and get a taxi."

"I will take Peggy home." Sir Anthony got up, 涙／ほころびing several of his letters up and 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするing them into the waste-paper-basket. "I want to 協議する Mother about something, so you will be 解放する／自由な, old man!"

Crasster hesitated a moment; he looked at Peggy, but the girl kept her 直面する 回避するd.

"井戸／弁護士席, it is from Furnival," he said apologetically. "Probably he is about the keenest-witted 探偵，刑事 they have at Scotland Yard. He makes a point of letting me know if anything 利益／興味ing turns up, and he has often been good enough to say that I have been of real 援助 to him. And since the unravelling of mysteries is part of my profession—"

Peggy hunched up her shoulders. "I didn't know you were a policeman."

Carew laughed 完全な. "A barrister is next door to one. Come, Peggy, don't be cross; I will take you for a long ride another day."

"Where are you going?" Peggy was only half-appeased.

"To Leinster Avenue," Crasster answered, "Furnival tells me that there has been a"—he hesitated a moment—"a curious occurrence at a flat in Leinster Avenue. He is very anxious I should go, but—"

"Of course you must go," Peggy said with 回復するd good humour; her fits of petulance were never of long duration. "And I—perhaps I will come out with you to-morrow, Stephen, if you are good, and ask me prettily."

"What is the 指名する of the flat?" In Judith's own ears her 発言する／表明する sounded loud.

Stephen looked a little surprised as he turned courteously.

"Abbey 法廷，裁判所," he answered.

一時期／支部 VI

"DO you think I look nice, Judith?" Peggy 遂行する／発効させるd a pirouette before her sister-in-法律.

"Very nice," Judith said absently. Her whole 存在 was 吸収するd in waiting, listening.

The hours that had passed since Stephen Crasster had been 召喚するd by 視察官 Furnival that morning had stretched themselves out into an eternity of suspense and anguish. She had not known what the next moment might bring 前へ／外へ.

"Madame Benoit has a very good 削減（する）," Peggy went on, twirling herself about in an 試みる／企てる to get a good 見解（をとる） of the hang of her skirt behind. "I believe Mother would like me to wear nothing but white, but one gets tired of always having the same colour. And blue always ふさわしい me. It is Stephen's favourite colour."

"He is late." Judith's attention was caught by the sound of Crasster's 指名する. Her 注目する，もくろむs barely ちらりと見ることd at Peggy's pretty, graceful 人物／姿／数字; they watched the clock with unconcealed impatience.

Peggy looked a little disappointed at her 欠如（する） of 利益／興味. "Oh, no! I （機の）カム 早期に because I 手配中の，お尋ね者 a nice long talk with you, and I must see Paul. Come, Judith," putting her arm through her sister-in-法律's, "he looks such a darling in his cot."

Lady Carew 産する／生じるd. It was not 価値（がある） while to resist, and it was better to do anything—anything rather than to sit there watching the clock, and waiting. The sisters-in-法律 looked a strange contrast as they left the room together, Peggy looked the very personification of 青年 and spring. Judith, with her white 直面する, drawn under her 注目する，もくろむs, and new strange lines of 苦痛 furrowing her brow, might have sat as a model for care or 犯罪.

Sir Anthony liked best to see her in white, and to-night, remembering this, Judith had put aside her own shivering distaste, her shuddering remembrance of the dress 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd away in the 井戸／弁護士席 of the wardrobe, and 許すd C駘estine to array her in a gown that she had carefully chosen, in 一致 with her husband's taste, in Paris. It was of oyster-white satin, but satin of so soft and supple a texture that it might have been drawn through the proverbial （犯罪の）一味—satin, moreover, that 単に formed the background for the most exquisite embroidery of seed pearls and 水晶s. It was too magnificent a toilette for a partie carr馥, such as had been arranged for this evening—just Stephen Crasster, Peggy, Anthony and herself—but they were going on to a 祝祭 業績／成果 at the theatre, given in honour of a foreign 王族 who was visiting London.

Paul was awake as it happened; he was sitting up in his cot laughing and chuckling to himself, and obstinately 辞退するing to go to sleep. Peggy adored her small 甥; she ran 今後 and 選ぶd him up, 関わりなく her finery.

"Kiss Auntie Peggy, Paul."

Paul 解除するd his rosy mouth pursed up into a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する O, but his big grey 注目する，もくろむs had seen somebody dearer than Peggy, he held out his 武器 to his mother.

"Mam, mam, dad, dad," he gurgled.

Judith took him almost mechanically, but the 苦痛 that had been pulling at her heart-strings all day seemed なぎd a little, as the baby nestled his soft downy 長，率いる into the curve of her neck.

They made a pretty picture, the tall, lovely mother, her 注目する，もくろむs 軟化するd, her mouth relaxing into a smile, and the bonny, laughing boy. Peggy admired them in her honest, whole-hearted fashion, as she tried to make the baby look at her.

Somebody else was admiring the group, too. Peggy looked up, her ear caught by a slight sound. Outside in the day nursery, looking at them through the open door, stood her brother, Anthony, and Stephen Crasster. Stephen was smiling 率直に. The gloom of the morning was gone from Anthony's 表現 as he watched his wife and child. He （機の）カム 今後. She turned, 持つ／拘留するing the chuckling baby に向かって him, then, as she caught sight of Crasster behind, her whole 直面する seemed to wither and alter. Stephen Crasster hesitated.

"I must わびる for this 侵入占拠, Lady Carew, Anthony would bring me to have a look at my godson. He is a 罰金 fellow."

"Yes," Judith said 静かに.

She let Peggy take her little son from her whilst she 始める，決める herself to talk with feverish energy to Crasster. Surely, surely he would tell her why 視察官 Furnival had 手配中の，お尋ね者 him at Abbey 法廷，裁判所 that morning.

But nothing 明らかに was さらに先に from Crasster's 意向. He talked lightly and easily on a variety of topics, but the very recollection of 視察官 Furnival's 召喚するs might have passed from his mind. At last, when Paul, now growing sleepy, had been 取って代わるd in his cot, and they were all seated at the 一連の会議、交渉／完成する （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する in the big dining-room, Judith asked:

"Did your friend, the 視察官, want you for anything important this morning, Mr. Crasster?"

She had 後継するd in 逮捕（する）ing his attention.

"It was rather 利益／興味ing," he said slowly, "unusual, perhaps I せねばならない say. But I rather fancy it is out of my line."

Peggy smiled at him from her seat opposite.

"Are you talking of your imperative work of this morning, Stephen? Don't tell me it was nothing you were 手配中の，お尋ね者 for after all."

"No, it wasn't unnecessary," Crasster said, his dark 直面する rather 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. "Only I don't fancy I'm やめる so clever as I thought myself, Peggy, I don't imagine that Furnival 設立する me much good."

Sir Anthony laughed disagreeably. "I should start from the idea that you can't 信用 anyone—that your dearest friend may be deceiving you."

Crasster looked at him in 穏やかな surprise. Carew was behaving rather oddly to-day, he thought, but probably he was not 井戸／弁護士席; he had sent away his soup untasted, he was 単に pretending to eat his fish.

"井戸／弁護士席, I don't know that one's dearest friend would escape if 疑惑 pointed his way," Stephen answered slowly. "But what I find so enthralling is the fact that most 探偵，刑事 work is of necessity a 一連の deductions. To 減ずる this to a science is, of course, our 目的（とする）, but I must 自白する that in my 事例／患者 it is beset with difficulties. My deductions have a bad habit of not turning out 権利," with a whimsical smile. "You may remember at Eton, Anthony—"

Usually Lady Carew would have 設立する it 利益／興味ing enough. But to-day it seemed that it would be impossible to sit there 静かに to the end of the meal, to take her part as the courteous hostess, while all the time her whole 存在 was seething in a perfect whirl of 不安, of 拷問ing 苦悩. It was maddening to know that this dark-直面するd, pleasant-発言する／表明するd man, was in 所有／入手 of what she would have given half the remaining years of her life to learn, and yet he would not speak, she could not make him tell her. Only by a 最高の 成果／努力 did she 保持する her self-支配（する）／統制する until the meal was over. Then at the earliest possible moment, with a quick look at Peggy, she rose 突然の.

It was hot in the 製図／抽選-room; Judith felt feverish and 抑圧するd with the terrible sense of overhanging calamity. The French window on the balcony stood open. 拒絶する／低下するing Peggy's 招待 to go up to the nursery for another look at Paul she stepped out.

It was very 静かな in the square, only now and again an 時折の モーター or a 私的な carriage passed. She waited there; the 冷気／寒がらせる of the night 空気／公表する felt pleasant after the fever that was 消費するing her. Peggy had stolen softly away 意図 on another visit to her small 甥. Suddenly the silence was broken by a loud, raucous cry coming 負かす／撃墜する Oxford Street. Judith listened to it mechanically, 支払う／賃金ing scant 注意する; it was a man crying papers, that was all. As it grew nearer, more coherent, one word 侵入するd the もやs that had gathered over her brain, startled her absorption.

"殺人! 殺人!"

She held her breath, she 緊張するd her ears; what was he crying? 殺人!

"'Orrible 殺人 in a West End flat! 'Orrible 殺人—"

One of Judith's 手渡すs, went up to her throat, tugged relentlessly at the laces in the 前線 of her gown until the delicate fabric gave way. 安定したing herself with the other she leaned over the railings. The man was coming in a direct line with the house now.

"'Orrible 殺人 in a West End flat. 最新の 詳細（に述べる）s."

Judith stepped 支援する into the house and rang the bell.

"Get me an evening paper, please, James," she said when the man appeared. "As quickly as possible. They are calling them outside."

She constrained herself to take the paper from the salver, she 軍隊d herself to wait until the man had left the room before she opened it. Then, she almost tore the pages apart. There was no need to search, for the column she 手配中の，お尋ね者 星／主役にするd her in the 直面する.

MYSTERIOUS MURDER IN A WEST END FLAT

"A 罪，犯罪 of a peculiarly mysterious nature was （罪などを）犯すd some time last night in a 封鎖する of flats, comparatively newly built, called Abbey 法廷，裁判所, in Leinster Avenue. The 犠牲者 was a man who was known to the スパイ／執行官 as Mr. C. Warden. He had taken the flat only a week ago and little or nothing was known of him. He is 述べるd by the porter as a 静かな, inoffensive gentleman, giving no trouble and having no 訪問者s. He was in the habit of having his breakfast sent up to him, the 残り／休憩（する） of his meals he took out. This morning the porter went up with his tray as usual, but was unable to make Mr. Warden hear. The porter waited a while and tried again. Then he ascertained that the electric light within the flat was still switched on; this made him 恐れる that かもしれない Mr. Warden had been taken ill, with the result that he went 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to the スパイ／執行官s, and had the door broken open.

"Mr. Warden was discovered in his sitting-room lying dead upon the 床に打ち倒す in a pool of 血. Dr. Wilkinson of St. Mary's Street who was quickly upon the scene, gave it as his opinion that the unfortunate man had been 発射 from behind, at の近くに 範囲, and that the 発射 had entered at the 支援する of the left ear, and, travelling in a transverse direction, had 厳しいd the carotid artery, thus accounting for the 過度の hemorrhage. Dr. Wilkinson 明言する／公表するd that death had probably taken place a couple of hours, at least, before midnight, and that it could not かもしれない have been self-（打撃，刑罰などを）与えるd. The revolver with which 推定では the 致命的な 発射 was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d was discovered in the little dining-room, which was separated only by curtains from the room in which the 死んだ was 設立する. It is hoped that the 武器 may 証明する 価値のある as a means of identifying the 暗殺者.

"A curious feature in the 事件／事情／状勢 is the fact that the porter 明言する／公表するs that, last night, for the first time, he took up a 訪問者 to Mr. Warden's rooms in the 解除する—a lady wearing a long cloak and thickly 隠すd. He noticed her 特に, first because she was the only 訪問者 who had asked to be taken up to No. 42; secondly, because she was so muffled up that it struck him she did not wish to be seen. A 手渡す-painted fan was 設立する on the 床に打ち倒す, partly underneath the 団体／死体, which is supposed to have been left by this mysterious 訪問者, and which may 最終的に 証明する a 価値のある 手がかり（を与える）. Every 成果／努力 is 存在 made to discover the 身元 of Mr. Warden's 訪問者. She is 述べるd by Jenkins, the porter, as 存在 tall and slender, with fair hair. Her features he could not see plainly as she had a 厚い 隠す 新たな展開d 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her hat and 直面する. She had a low, pleasant 発言する／表明する and he says was distinctly a lady. It was after nine o'clock when he took her up. He had no idea when she （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する as she did not use the 解除する. 調査s with a 見解（をとる） to discovering her 身元 are 存在 diligently 起訴するd, and the police are of opinion that, with the 手がかり（を与える）s at their 処分, this will be a 事柄 of small difficulty."

Judith read it through without moving. Then she looked at it again. The printed type seemed to dance up and 負かす／撃墜する before her 注目する，もくろむs. With a gesture of despair she let the paper slip to the ground, walked over to the mantelpiece and leaned against the high shelf.

"My God!" she breathed, "My God!"

It seemed to her that the description cried aloud that it was she, Judith Carew, who had been in Warden's flat. Reading between the lines it was perfectly obvious that it was she who was 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd of having 原因（となる）d his death. They were diligently 起訴するing the search for her; they 推定する／予想するd with the 手がかり（を与える）s at their 処分 to find her quickly.

She quivered from 長，率いる to foot in one long drawn out sob of agony. What was she to do? Where in heaven or earth was there any help for her? She dared not take the course that it seemed to her any innocent woman せねばならない take, she dared not go to the police and tell them her story. Her 手渡すs were tied and bound. 外見s were too terribly against her. The dead man had been 発射 with the revolver she herself had taken to his rooms; she had the strongest possible 動機 for 願望（する）ing his death. She shivered and cowered against the 塀で囲む as she asked herself how long it would be before they 設立する her.

The sound of the 開始 door made her start with a cry of terror. She looked across, half 推定する／予想するing to see the police come to 逮捕（する） her, but it was only Peggy who stood in the doorway, her 注目する，もくろむs laughing as she ちらりと見ることd behind her.

The two men followed. Judith heard Anthony's 発言する／表明する; she tried 猛烈に to 回復する herself, to 回復する her 粉々にするd self-支配（する）／統制する. She thrust the paper beneath a pile of 調書をとる／予約するs and went 今後.

"The carriage will not be here for half an hour, Mr. Crasster. What shall we do to amuse you till then?"

"Peggy shall give us a song," Crasster 示唆するd.

The girl made a little 直面する at him. "Not now, sir, I'm going on the balcony," catching up a fleecy 包む and 製図／抽選 it over her pretty 明らかにする shoulders as she stepped out.

Stephen held 支援する the curtains for Lady Carew.

After a moment's hesitation Judith followed. As Crasster placed a 議長，司会を務める for her, her ear caught the sound of a 手段d footstep below. She touched Peggy's arm. "Who—what is that, Peggy?"

The girl looked a little surprised as she leaned 今後.

"Only a policeman."

"Only a policeman!" Judith's heart 契約d as she sank into her 議長，司会を務める, her 恐れるs 急ぐd over her, multiplied a thousandfold. Why, oh why had she been such a fool as to come out, to sit here where it would be so 平易な for her to be seen—to be identified.

She got up jerkily. "After all, I don't think I will stay here," she said unsteadily. "I want to speak to Anthony—to 協議する him—"

She stepped 支援する quickly. Sir Anthony stood in the inner 製図／抽選-room; she heard a rustle, and with difficulty 抑えるd an exclamation of alarm as she saw that he had the evening paper in his 手渡す.

His 支援する was に向かって her, but his 直面する was 反映するd in the opposite mirror. Judith saw that he was 熟考する／考慮するing something intently, that his dark overhanging brows were drawn together in a 激しい frown.

一時期／支部 VII

"THERE is no 疑問 that Lady Carew's 神経s are overstrained. The 勝つ／広く一帯に広がるing 病気 of our twentieth century, Sir Anthony!"

Sir Anthony Carew 屈服するd. His dark 直面する was unsmiling.

Judith, looking 病弱な and 壊れやすい in her blue linen gown, was sitting in a big 平易な 議長，司会を務める 近づく the window.

Dr. ツバメ looked at her again. "The 治療（薬） is やめる simple. Plenty of fresh 空気／公表する, 残り／休憩（する） and 静かな. No need of 麻薬s, though I will give you a simple prescription for the sleeplessness. If you will not think me too cruel, Lady Carew, I must say that the very best thing for you would be to leave London, to go into the country, and do nothing but 残り／休憩（する） and laze."

A little wave of colour swept over Judith's pale cheeks. She sat up in her 議長，司会を務める and looked at Anthony wistfully.

"Oh, I should love to go into the country, to go 支援する to Heron's Carew with nobody but the boy and you, Anthony. Oh, do let us go to Heron's Carew," with a little sob.

"Of course we will go to Heron's Carew, if Dr. ツバメ thinks it advisable," Sir Anthony said slowly. "Or would a voyage—sea 空気／公表する...?"

Dr. ツバメ regarded him benevolently over his pince-nez.

"Ah, that may come later. For the 現在の I think Heron's Carew the very best possible suggestion. And remember, Lady Carew," wagging a fat playful forefinger at her, "no house parties, no 橋（渡しをする）. A little tennis if you like when you are stronger, but for the 現在の just 絶対の 静かな—a deck 議長，司会を務める on the lawn, and Master Paul for your companion, and in a very short time I shall 推定する／予想する to hear that all your roses have returned, that Sir Anthony is やめる 満足させるd with your 進歩, I shall indeed."

"Yes, yes. I am sure it will do me good," Judith said feverishly. "I love every 石／投石する of Heron's Carew, only, Anthony," her 直面する clouded, "what of Peggy? Your mother is not strong enough—"

"Oh, Peggy will be all 権利," Carew said with a 確かな carelessness. "As a 事柄 of fact I have already written to Alethea about her, she is coming up to town next week and she will be only too pleased to take Peggy about."

"You have written," Judith said with a puzzled look.

"The very best thing, my dear lady," Dr. ツバメ interrupted briskly. "Lady Leominster will look after 行方不明になる Carew and you will go to Heron's Carew in search of health. Now, that is all settled, and Sir Anthony will feel more comfortable about you."

When he left the room, すぐに afterwards, Sir Anthony …を伴ってd him and Judith was left alone.

The idea of leaving London, of returning to Heron's Carew, had brought a transient 紅潮／摘発する to her cheeks, a brightness which faded all too soon from her 注目する，もくろむs. For some time she waited 推定する／予想するing her husband's return. The day was warm, the 勝利，勝つd was blowing from the south, it fanned her cheeks, it brought in the scent of the flowering 工場／植物s in the balcony.

More than a fortnight had elapsed since that terrible night in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flat; a fortnight which had held for Judith every 種類 of imaginable dread. Every day the papers had made some について言及する of the mysterious 殺人; the 検死, after the first sitting, had been 延期，休会するd for a fortnight. To-day there had been hints that to-morrow the police would be in a position to place some important 証拠 before the 検死官 and the 陪審／陪審員団. There had been all sorts of rumours that Stanmore's mysterious 訪問者 had been traced, that she was an actress, a 公式文書，認めるd singer, a society beauty. In her terror Judith had pleaded illness, she had broken all her 約束／交戦s, she had 辞退するd to go out of doors, everywhere, anywhere, she might be 認めるd!

One feature of the 事件／事情／状勢 puzzled her かなり; so far, the man she met on the stairs had not been について言及するd. Yet surely he must have come 今後, he must have told the police what he knew of Cyril Stanmore, told them that the mysterious 訪問者, whose 身元 was 誘発するing so much curiosity was Cyril Stanmore's wife.

Nothing had 漏れるd out so far with regard to Stanmore's 身元. Why should he have taken the flat in the 指名する of Warden, Judith could not imagine, save that with her knowledge of the man she was 保証するd that his silence hid nothing creditable.

It had been 明言する／公表するd in one 報告（する）／憶測 Judith had seen that the 死んだ man had left no papers, no 価値のあるs, nothing to 証明する his 身元 or to show where his 親族s could be 設立する, neither had his 親族s been 来たるべき.

But the man that Judith had met on the stairs knew as much as, or more than, she did herself of Cyril Stanmore's history. How soon would he speak or had he spoken already?

負かす／撃墜する below in the Square people were passing backwards and 今後s; a couple of men were lounging against the railings opposite. Judith's gaze fell upon them and with a quick movement of alarm she drew 支援する into the 影をつくる／尾行する of the curtains. It might be that they were waiting, hoping to see her, to identify her.

A 広大な／多数の／重要な longing for the quietness and the seclusion of Heron's Carew （機の）カム upon her; there, in the spacious gardens she would at least be 解放する／自由な from 調査するing 注目する，もくろむs. She listened 熱望して for Anthony's return; she would beg him to make 手はず／準備 to go 負かす／撃墜する to Heron's Carew at once—to-morrow, or the next day, surely it would be possible.

As she waited she heard the man below whistling for a taxi. She peered out through the pattern of the lace curtain as it drove off. Sir Anthony was the only occupant; his 直面する was 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な, even sombre, as she caught a passing glimpse. Judith looked after him, ばく然と puzzled. He had gone out after 審理，公聴会 the doctor's 報告（する）／憶測 without coming 支援する to speak to her. Then for a moment she roused herself to a fuller consciousness. What was amiss with Anthony? His manner to her, which had remained as lover-like for the two years of their married life as during the 簡潔な／要約する intoxicating period of their 約束／交戦, had changed in this terrible fortnight to one of 冷淡な reserve. Was it possible that he had 認めるd her description, that he had guessed? The very thought drove every 減少（する） of 血 from her cheeks, her lips; 始める，決める her heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing in 広大な／多数の／重要な 窒息させるing throbs. She hardly realized how long she had been crouching there behind the curtains, shivering with sickly dread at the 明らかにする notion of this new 可能性, when another thought struck her. If they were to go 負かす／撃墜する to Heron's Carew at once, there was something she must do. She pulled herself up, 持つ／拘留するing by the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する at her 味方する. It was curious how her physical strength had 砂漠d her.

At last, however, she made her way feebly to the bell, and rang it. C駘estine made her 外見 with such 速度(を上げる） as to 示唆する that she had been remaining purposely の近くに at 手渡す.

"But miladi is ill," she said, as she saw her mistress's 恐ろしい 直面する. "Miladi is surely faint. If she will let me get a glass of Sir Anthony's good ワイン—?"

"No! I want nothing." Judith held up her 手渡す. "But I am 冷淡な. It is possible I have taken a 冷気／寒がらせる. Will you have the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 made up in my room? I shall be coming up 直接／まっすぐに. I always fancy I 残り／休憩（する） on the couch there better than anywhere."

"It is one beautiful couch," C駘estine assented, her sharp little 黒人／ボイコット 注目する，もくろむs scanning Lady Carew's 直面する attentively. "And of course there is already a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, miladi. Since miladi has not been so 井戸／弁護士席 I have kept one there every day, since it might be that at any time she might need it."

"That is 権利," Judith laid her 長，率いる 支援する on her 議長，司会を務める. "I will come up in a few minutes then."

"Will miladi let me help her?" C駘estine's 発言する／表明する and manner were respectfully 同情的な.

But Judith shook her 長，率いる. "No! no! I will come presently."

She waited a little while 集会 her strength together, then she made her way upstairs slowly.

C駘estine was waiting for her. The couch was drawn up as her mistress liked it, but Lady Carew looked disappointedly at the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. "I told you I 手配中の，お尋ね者 a good 解雇する／砲火／射撃, C駘estine, a large 解雇する／砲火／射撃, I am 冷淡な."

"A—h!" C駘estine held up her 手渡すs. "But the other day when the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was not so large as this Miladi say that it was 抱擁する, that it would give her the fever. But, see, Miladi, it will soon 燃やす up, be as big as Miladi likes."

She deftly 適用するd 支持を得ようと努めるd, piled up small coal, and presently the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 showed 調印するs of becoming large enough to 満足させる her mistress's 必要物／必要条件s. Judith watched her with wide-open, 哀れな 注目する，もくろむs. At last she said wearily:

"That will do, C駘estine, I feel warmer already. Now perhaps I shall sleep."

"But I hope so, Miladi." The maid stood up and looked with distaste at her blackened fingers. "And if Miladi want anything she need not 発揮する herself to （犯罪の）一味 the bell; if she would just speak one little word, I am at my needlework in the dressing-room, I shall hear."

Judith raised herself on her 肘. "No! No! I can't have you in the dressing-room, C駘estine; I can't sleep if anyone is moving about."

The maid looked aggrieved. "But I will be as 静かな as a mouse, Miladi. And I am putting on the lace of Miladi's heliotrope satin. If miladi should want it."

"I shall not want it," Lady Carew said decisively. "We are going 負かす／撃墜する to Heron's Carew 直接／まっすぐに, C駘estine. Dr. ツバメ says the 静かな will be the best thing—best for me."

C駘estine held up her 手渡すs. "Ma foi, it is a triste place, that Heron's Carew," she 不平（をいう）d discontentedly. "自然に Miladi does not 要求する her magnificent toilettes there. Me—I 推定する／予想する always to die of megrim at Heron's Carew."

"That will do!" Judith said wearily. "You understand, C駘estine, I am not to be 乱すd until I （犯罪の）一味."

Left alone she waited a while until the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 had 燃やすd up briskly, until there was a glow in the hot coals beneath that scorched her 直面する as she sat there. Then she got up, 決起大会／結集させるing all her self-支配（する）／統制する, walked across to her jewel-事例／患者, and took out her little 重要な. 持つ／拘留するing it she paused a moment undecidedly; then with a gesture of infinite loathing she turned to the small wardrobe and opened the door.

She 回避するd her 直面する shudderingly, as she thrust her arm into the 井戸／弁護士席, and brought out the skirt she had thrown over the tell-tale tea-gown. Laying it on the 床に打ち倒す beside her she put her 手渡す in again; then, with a quick, startled exclamation she turned, peered into the 井戸／弁護士席, 押し進めるd her 手渡すs from 味方する to 味方する—the tea-gown was gone!

She sat 支援する on the 床に打ち倒す and 星／主役にするd at the empty 井戸／弁護士席. Where—how had it gone? The wardrobe had been locked, the 重要な of the jewel-事例／患者 had never been out of her 所有／入手; she went 支援する feverishly, tore all the things from the hooks, and scattered them around her on the 床に打ち倒す, only to make more 確かな of what had been obvious from the beginning—the tea-gown was gone!

With a slow movement of despair she got up, her 膝s shaking under her, 冷淡な beads of perspiration breaking out on her forehead. Who could have learnt of its presence in the wardrobe—who could have 得るd 所有／入手 of it?

At last her lips moved mechanically, they でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるd words.

"They—they spoke of a 手がかり（を与える） to be produced at tomorrow's 検死," she whispered hoarsely. "Was it this? My God, was it this—was it this?"

一時期／支部 VIII

HERON'S CAREW was a big 課すing-looking building, standing on the 最高の，を越す of the hill, looking 負かす／撃墜する to the Heron's moat. It had no pretensions to any 肉親，親類d of architectural beauty. In 古代の time, rumour had it, the old house had stood lower 負かす／撃墜する and the Heron's moat had surrounded it; some vandal of a Carew had pulled it 負かす／撃墜する to build the newer edifice on the 最高の，を越す of the hill. Of the house that had been built 初めは on the hill, much was destroyed by a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 in the days of the first George, the residue formed the kernel of the 現在の Heron's Carew; but to it had been built by different Carews such 新規加入s as took their fancy, a new wing here, a large dining-room thrown out there, bedrooms built over any spare space. Time had mellowed the whole, had thrown over the heterogeneous 集まり a kindly 隠す of ivy, ampelopsis and other climbing 工場／植物s. The Carews, every one of them, loved Haron's Carew, but it is to be 疑問d whether any of them had loved Heron's Carew with a greater love than Judith, the wife of the 現在の owner.

It had meant safety to her, the old house, when she （機の）カム to it. It was there that she had first dared to dream tremblingly that Anthony cared for her, it was there that the golden days of her 早期に married life had been spent, there that her little son had been born—it was small wonder that she loved every 石／投石する of the grey 塀で囲むs.

Already, though they had been 支援する only a week, Heron's Carew was beginning to 発揮する its （一定の）期間 over her. Some of the fret and the worry had smoothed itself out of Judith's 直面する; she was looking stronger and better as she sat in her lounge 議長，司会を務める beneath the shade of the big cedar.

Paul, fresh and rosy from his afternoon's sleep, was on the rug at her feet playing with a big woolly lamb, and emitting every now and then a 満足させるd chuckle.

A couple of footmen （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する from the house bringing the tea-things; Sir Anthony followed them, a bundle of papers in his 手渡す. He sat 負かす／撃墜する in one of the wicker 議長，司会を務めるs and smiled at Paul, who was trying in his own fashion to attract his attention.

"井戸／弁護士席, young man, how are you? Judith"—a slight subtle change in his 発言する／表明する as he 演説（する）／住所d his wife—"you heard from Peggy this morning, didn't you? What did she say to you? Did you gather that she is enjoying herself with Alethea?"

"Oh, enormously, I think." Judith hesitated a moment, and coloured, bending over the baby to hide her 混乱. She was conscious that Peggy's letter had received but scant attention. "Lady Leominster is taking her out everywhere, and Peggy is getting lots of 賞賛, as she was sure to." Judith finished with a smile; her pretty young sister-in-法律 was very dear to her.

"Did she say anything about this new Lord Chesterham to you?"

"New Lord Chesterham?" Judith wrinkled up her brows. "I don't remember. No, I feel sure she did not について言及する Lord Chesterham. Why do you ask?"

Anthony drew a letter from his pocket. "I have just heard from Alethea. She says—oh, here it is. The new Lord Chesterham was at the Westropps' the other night. Peggy made やめる an impression upon him, I think. It was 平易な to see he was attracted and, knowing how 近づく Chesterham 城 is to Heron's Carew, my mind could not help ちらりと見ることing at 確かな 可能性s. But it is 早期に days for such 憶測s yet, so I will say no more. That is all." Sir Anthony 倍のd the letter up and ちらりと見ることd meditatively at it.

"Lord Chesterham!" Judith repeated. "That is the one who has just come into the 肩書を与える, isn't it?"

Sir Anthony nodded. "He didn't 耐える the best of 評判s before he 後継するd either, from what I hear. I am sorry Peggy has met him. I should have thought Alethea was to be 信用d to look after her. But she seems やめる pleased with this," （電話線からの）盗聴 the sheet with his 手渡す. "However, as Peggy says nothing about the man herself, I 推定する／予想する it is all 権利. She would have been 確かな to tell you if there had been anything in it."

Judith did not answer as she busied herself about the tea-urn. With her surer knowledge of a woman's heart, she was inclined to think that Peggy's silence might be a bad 調印する.

"It is time Chesterham （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する here," Sir Anthony presently went on, "the 広い地所s are going to rack and 廃虚, but there never was any Chesterham of the lot that troubled about that as long as there was money to 支払う／賃金 for their 楽しみs." He laid Lady Leominster's letter, together with a pile of others, on an empty 議長，司会を務める beside him as he spoke, and caught up his 相続人: "井戸／弁護士席, Master Paul, come and tell me what you have been doing with yourself."

Judith watched them with fascinated 注目する，もくろむs. To her, after the ceaseless nervous terrors of the past six weeks, it was something like happiness to be here in their own grounds, 安全な from 侵入占拠, alone with her husband and child. Sir Anthony, too, had seemed more like himself since their return to Heron's Carew. にもかかわらず Judith was conscious that the 障壁 between them remained, that the perfect 信用／信任 that 以前は subsisted between them was now a thing of the past. Suddenly at the 底（に届く） of the pile of letters she caught sight of the evening 版 of a London paper. She drew in her breath はっきりと. The 検死 on Cyril Stanmore had been 延期，休会するd until this morning—was it possible that there could be any news of it yet? Public 利益／興味 in the West End flat 殺人, as it was called, had flagged a little of late.

The 見えなくなる of her tea-gown had thrown Judith at first into a perfect frenzy of alarm; but as the time wore on and she heard nothing of it, her 恐れるs began to 沈下する, though the occurrence remained as mysterious as ever. Questioned, C駘estine had obstinately 否定するd all knowledge of it.

Her 手渡す stole に向かって the paper; Anthony was still 吸収するd by the baby; he would not see her. She drew it out quickly, and opened it with as little rustle as possible. Yes. There it was on the space reserved for 知能 received on going to 圧力（をかける）.

WEST END FLAT MURDER—INQUEST AND VERDICT

"The 検死 on the man known as C. Warden was 再開するd this morning before Mr. Gwynne Bargrave. No その上の 証拠 was 申し込む／申し出d by the police, who 明言する／公表するd that, so far, the 手がかり（を与える）s in their 所有／入手 had led to nothing 有形の. The 陪審／陪審員団 returned a 判決 of 'Wilful 殺人 against some person or persons unknown.'"

That was all.

Judith drew a long breath of thankfulness. She had but little knowledge of the 法律's 手続き in 犯罪の 事例／患者s; and it seemed to her that the Leinster Avenue 事例／患者 was finished now, that she had nothing more to 恐れる.

She let her clasped 手渡すs 落ちる on the paper with the gesture of one who had escaped from an intolerable bondage; then, looking up, her 注目する，もくろむs met Sir Anthony's. He had the baby on his 膝 still, but over its fluffy yellow 長，率いる his 注目する，もくろむs were watching Judith 熱望して, with a 確かな furtiveness. He dropped his 激しい lids, but not before Judith had surprised an 表現 of keen watchfulness. It had the 影響 of a sudden shock upon her, it was as if he had purposely placed the paper there, as if he had been waiting to see the result upon her.

The next minute he had risen with Paul in his 武器; he was 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするing the delighted child in the 空気／公表する. Judith told herself that she must have been mistaken, that her 神経s were overstrained, that she was foolishly fanciful, but the unpleasant impression remained.

She got up and crossed the lawn hurriedly. As she 近づくd the house, Jenkins, the 都市の, appeared, 先行する a 黒人／ボイコット-式服d 人物／姿／数字.

"Lady Palmer has called, my lady. She asked to see both your ladyship and Sir Anthony."

"Lady Palmer!" Judith repeated in a puzzled トン, then her 直面する altered. How could she have forgotten? This was the 未亡人d Lady Palmer, the Sybil Carew of Anthony's 青年—解放する／自由な, now, while he was bound.

The slender graceful woman in 黒人／ボイコット （機の）カム up to her quickly. Both Judith's 手渡すs were caught. Two liquid brown 注目する，もくろむs gazed into hers.

"You are my cousin Anthony's wife, I am sure. How—how beautiful you are! You must 許す my frankness. Anthony will tell you I am nothing if not 慣習に捕らわれない."

Judith felt suddenly tongue-tied. She had heard much of Sybil Palmer, of her, beauty, of Anthony's mad love for her. She had heard that the breaking off of his 約束／交戦 had embittered all his 早期に manhood; she knew that the 会合s between the two had since been few and far between. She knew also that her husband had written to Lady Palmer on 審理，公聴会 of her husband's 致命的な 事故.

"You will give me a welcome, won't you?" the 甘い pathetic 発言する／表明する went on wistfully. "Ah, there is Anthony." With a final ぐずぐず残る 圧力 Judith 設立する her 手渡すs dropped, and Lady Palmer turned to Sir Anthony, who was coming across the lawn に向かって them, Paul perched on his shoulder.

"Sybil!" he uttered in an amazed トン. "Hoy in the world did you come here? We had no idea—"

"I know you had not." Lady Palmer's beautiful 注目する，もくろむs grew moist; her 甘い トンs were reproachful. "But I was staying with the Wiltons, and I told them I must come over. I thought you would give me a welcome, Anthony, for the sake of old times."

The last words were uttered in a low 発言する／表明する, but they reached Judith's ears as she waited.

"Of course we have a welcome for you—of course we are delighted to see you," Sir Anthony answered, a 確かな breeziness in his 発言する／表明する that contrasted curiously with Lady Palmer's languid トンs.

"Ah, things have altered since we last met," she went on with a little catch in her breath. "Then my dear husband was with me, do you remember? And it was before your marriage. Now you have your wife, your child, and I—I have lost everything."

"I was—we were so grieved to hear of your loss," Sir Anthony said with some 当惑.

Judith, waiting, felt with a vague tinge of wonder, that Sybil Palmer was an 絶対の surprise to her. She scarcely realized as yet the subtle charm of the 深い brown 注目する，もくろむs, of the transparent pallor of the 肌, of the pathetic curves of the lovely mouth.

"Oh, what a beautiful boy!" Lady Palmer was trying to 説得する the child to come to her 武器.

Judith felt an 不当な thrill of 楽しみ when Paul, usually so good with strangers, turned obstinately away and held out his tiny 武器 to his mother. "Mum, mum!"

"Ah, 井戸／弁護士席! he will make friends with me later. Children always do," Lady Palmer said easily, though Judith saw that she did not look やめる pleased as she turned 支援する to Sir Anthony. "Dear old Heron's Carew! How often I have dreamt of it! The love of it is in the Carew 血." She sighed. "Dear Lady Carew, I know you will let me ask my cousin's advice, you will not grudge it to poor little me, for I am in such trouble now, Palmer made such a 複雑にするd will. You will help me, won't you, Anthony?"

"If I can, I shall be delighted," Sir Anthony said courteously, but with a 確かな reserve in his トン. His gaze had wandered from the 注目する，もくろむs raised so appealingly to his, to his wife's graceful 人物／姿／数字.

Lady Palmer's 注目する，もくろむs followed his. "How lovely she is," she murmured. "An ideal Lady Carew, Anthony. And yet, and yet—" she broke off musingly.

"And yet?" There was a slight touch of hauteur in Sir Anthony's 発言する／表明する.

Lady Palmer bit her lip, and then laughed. "How absurd of me! I was trying to think—I fancied I had seen her before. I remember now, it was at Monte Carlo. We were there, Palmer and I, and there was a terrible scene. A young man was 行方不明になるd, he had 発射 himself."

"And there was somebody there who reminded you of my wife." Sir Anthony frowned as he looked at her.

Lady Palmer laughed. "井戸／弁護士席, yes! I did see a 直面する that reminded me of Lady Carew's. At least I thought so at first, the resemblance is not やめる so striking now when I see more of Lady Carew. Do you know Monte Carlo, Lady Carew?"

"No!" But if Lady Palmer could have seen the 直面する bent so closely over Paul's 長，率いる, she would have noticed that it turned several degrees paler.

The flute-like 発言する／表明する trickled off into laughter. "But of course it could not have been you; I must have been mistaken, though at first I thought it was the same 直面する."

"Of course you were," Judith said hurriedly. "Of course you were mistaken."

一時期／支部 IX

"MY lady said she 推定する／予想するd to be home next week, but perhaps 行方不明になる Peggy might stay awhile longer with Lady Leominster. I was to be sure and 令状 支援する soon and tell her how your ladyship was looking."

Judith smiled. "You must tell her that the 空気／公表する of Heron's Carew has やめる 始める，決める me up."

"I was 説 so to C駘estine last night," said Gregson.

"Was C駘estine 負かす／撃墜する here last night?" Judith enquired with a little 空気／公表する of surprise. "I thought she went 負かす／撃墜する to the village."

"Oh, no, she didn't, my lady." Gregson's pleasant old 直面する, that always reminded Judith of a wholesome winter apple, grew suddenly 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. "C駘estine 一般に goes off to the Spring Copse nowadays; she just looked in on me in passing. I have said myself that I didn't believe your ladyship knew what she was doing."

Something in the old woman's トン 逮捕（する）d Judith's attention. "Why, what is she doing, Gregson? If she likes to walk in the Spring Copse, instead of in the village, I can't see that it 事柄s."

"Not if she walked alone," Gregson said 意味ありげに. "I have heard say that C駘estine 会合，会うs a young man there, my lady—not that I have seen it myself."

"A young man!" Judith repeated slowly. "Oh, 井戸／弁護士席, you know, Gregson, there is nothing very surprising in that, is there?"

"Perhaps there isn't, my lady," Gregson returned. Her 表現 was uncompromising. She had been the Dowager Lady Carew's confidential maid, then she retired to the nursery when Peggy was born, finally she had …を伴ってd Lady Carew to the Dower House. She had known Judith as Peggy's governess before she became the wife of the owner of Heron's Carew, and it was no small 尊敬の印 to Judith's charm of manner and natural dignity that Old Mrs. Gregson always spoke of her as a real lady and the 権利 wife for Sir Anthony.

"I say nothing against C駘estine having a young man," she said now after a pause. "As your ladyships says, that is natural enough, and when it is all open and above board, I should be the last to make any 反対, but when it is 会合 after dusk, and in 支持を得ようと努めるd and such places, why it seems to me that nothing but 害（を与える） can come of it."

"Oh, 井戸／弁護士席, I don't know," Judith said with a slight smile. "I fancy C駘estine can take care of herself. But I will give her a hint. Good-bye, Gregson; I shall 令状 to 行方不明になる Peggy and tell her all her pets are going on 井戸／弁護士席."

Gregson curtsied. "Yes, my lady, we take good care of them, but they 行方不明になる her 有望な 直面する sorely, as we all do."

Judith was looking much better now. The 空気／公表する of Heron's Carew and its restful atmosphere had done wonders for her, though her beautiful 注目する，もくろむs still held the 影をつくる／尾行する of a terrible dread. She made her way through the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd. Already it was brilliant with the 約束 of 早期に summer.

吸収するd in her own thoughts, as she reached the gate 主要な to the park, she did not 注意する a faint rustle of the undergrowth; she caught no faintest glimpse of the two men who, hidden behind the budding rhododendrons, were peering out after her. She walked quickly up the hill to the house. As she turned across from the avenue, however, and made her way to the rosery, she caught the sound of 発言する／表明するs, and paused with a quick throb of 失望. Anthony was there, and a 訪問者!

Another moment and she had 認めるd Lady Palmer's 発言する／表明する. Judith's 直面する clouded over; with a restless sigh she turned 支援する and went in by the 前線 door.

She could not bring herself to like Lady Palmer in spite of that lady's protestations of affection for her cousin's wife.

Lord Palmer had 明らかに left his 事件／事情／状勢s in a かなりの 絡まる. Lady Palmer was still staying with her friends, the Wiltons, and almost every day 設立する her at Heron's Carew, 意図 on getting Sir Anthony's opinion on some knotty point. Sir Anthony, for his part, seemed nothing loath to 行為／法令／行動する as general 助言者.

Judith went up to her own room; its windows overlooked the rosery. She could see her husband, his dark 長，率いる bent 負かす／撃墜する to his companion, pacing up and 負かす／撃墜する the centre walk by Lady Palmer's 味方する. Lady Palmer was talking softly; she was gesticulating with her small white 手渡すs.

Judith's 注目する，もくろむs were 緊張するd and 有望な as she watched them. It seemed to her that the 推論する／理由 of her husband's coldness to her was perfectly （疑いを）晴らす now. It 時代遅れの from the day of Lord Palmer's 事故. Lord Palmer's premature death had 始める，決める Sybil 解放する／自由な, still young and beautiful, and Anthony—Anthony, who had 井戸／弁護士席-nigh broken his heart for the loss of her in the days of their 青年—Anthony was bound.

Was he?

The question pierced like a sword を刺す through Judith's heart. It was the first time, in any serious sense, that the 脅しs uttered by Stanmore on the night of his death had recurred to her memory. The manner of his death had been such as to 影を投げかける and 吸収する all lesser things. Until now Judith had not realized that, if his words were true, even dead he stood between her and Anthony. As she watched Anthony and his cousin, a new terrible 苦痛 gripped her heart; she bit her under-lip till two red beads of 血 stood out. Then, with a resolute 成果／努力, she turned away; she would not look at them again, she would not even think of them, she would put that last horrible suggestion from her.

She turned away, and, moved by some sudden instinct, opened the door of Anthony's dressing-room, and looked in. All was just as usual. Then, as she stood there, her 注目する，もくろむ was caught by something 有望な on the 床に打ち倒す 近づく the dressing-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. She went over and 選ぶd it up with an exclamation of surprise. It was a diamond stud—one that she knew her husband 特に valued. How it had escaped the attention both of the valet and the house-maids was a mystery.

The dressing-事例／患者 was 打ち明けるd, but Judith knew that it held a 安全な・保証する hiding-place—a 隠すd drawer, the secret of which Anthony had shown her in the 早期に days of their married life. She remembered that he kept the stud there.

She 圧力（をかける）d the spring and the drawer sprang open. There was not much in it. Judith took up the stud-事例／患者 and fitted the diamond in. Then, as she put it 支援する, her 注目する，もくろむs were caught by a piece of paper that lay beneath—"42 Abbey 法廷，裁判所, Leinster Avenue. 9.30 to-night."

The fatally familiar words 星／主役にするd up at her in the man's big characteristically bold handwriting. She stood still and gazed at them, her breath coming in quick shallow gasps, her 注目する，もくろむs dilating—it was Cyril Stanmore's 令状ing, she could not mistake it.

She put out her 手渡す, shaking as if from ague, and 選ぶd it up. Yes; there was no 可能性 of error—it was the 同一の piece of paper that Cyril Stanmore had given her on the steps of St. Peter's, when he had ordered her to come to his rooms.

How had it come into Anthony's 所有／入手? And what could its presence in the secret drawer signify? It was self-evident that she had dropped the paper, that Anthony had 選ぶd it up, but when and where? Its presence there in his drawer showed that he 大（公）使館員d some importance to it. Was it possible that he had 設立する it before she went to the flat? She remembered that he had not gone to the Denboroughs' on the night of the 殺人. Where had he been? Where had he gone? She shivered all over as if from ague as she dropped the paper, 押し進めるd the stud-事例／患者 over it, and 取って代わるd the secret drawer.

Shaking still with 内部の 冷淡な she tottered 支援する to her room and の近くにd and bolted the communicating door. Then, leaning against the 塀で囲む, her mind went 支援する to the night of the 悲劇 at the flat. She 解任するd every little 出来事/事件 with the precision and the certainty of a photograph.

She retraced every step mentally. She saw that it would have been perfectly 平易な for anyone to have followed her; the only difficulty was as to how it would have been possible to 得る 接近 to the flat. She could only imagine that Stanmore in his 苦悩 to hurry her inside, had fastened the door insecurely—some one who had been waiting and watching must have stolen in behind them.

Judith put her 手渡す up to her throat, her mouth suddenly parched and 乾燥した，日照りの; somebody had stolen in and waited in that outer room, had heard Stanmore's 脅しs, and when the light was switched out had taken up Sir Anthony's ピストル and used it!

Judith's 注目する，もくろむs were 十分な of sickening terror, her mouth twitched 負かす／撃墜する at one 味方する, big 減少（する）s of moisture stood out upon her forehead. Whose breathing was it she listened to? If she had 設立する the door earlier, if she had turned the light on, whom would she have seen?

一時期／支部 X

"EH! What! What is the meaning of this?" Sir Anthony was reading his letters. He looked up now, and ちらりと見ることd at his wife as though he 推定する／予想するd her to explain what was the meaning of their contents.

Judith's mouth gave a little nervous twitch; from her seat behind the tea-マリファナ she ちらりと見ることd out half-fearfully at her husband. She was growing much thinner, the graceful 一連の会議、交渉／完成するd curves of her 人物／姿／数字 were changing to 肯定的な attenuation. The 改良 in her health that those first days at Heron's Carew had wrought had not been 持続するd, but Judith was resolute in 決定するing to stop there.

"What is it, Anthony?" she asked nervously. There was a curious 縮むing now in her manner to her husband; it was obvious at times that she 避けるd 存在 left alone with him.

"It is Peggy," Sir Anthony returned somewhat illogically. "This letter is from my stepmother and there is another from Alethea. Peggy is engaged to Lord Chesterham."

"Peggy is engaged to Lord Chesterham!" Judith echoed. "Oh, I am sorry. I was afraid she was attracted by him, but I didn't think there would be anything 限定された settled at 現在の."

"I never heard of such a thing," Sir Anthony went on, frowning and （電話線からの）盗聴 the letter. "Peggy is a mere child; she does not know her own mind, and as for Chesterham—I disapprove of it 完全に."

Judith looked troubled; she had dreamt of a very different husband for Peggy. "Is there really anything against Lord Chesterham?" she questioned.

Sir Anthony shrugged his shoulders. "One does not want one's sister to marry a man 簡単に because there is nothing against him. The Chesterhams have never been a 特に reputable family, in my opinion. The last lord had anything but an enviable 評判 in his 青年, but he lived to a 広大な／多数の／重要な age, and in his 事例／患者 the sins of the past were forgotten. This man, his 後継者, as I have understood, was always a mauvais sujet."

"Still, he may have 改革（する）d," Judith said hesitatingly. "I don't want to put myself into 対立, Anthony, but we are bound to look at this from every point of 見解（をとる）, for Peggy's sake."

"I shall do my best to stop it,—to put an end to the idea at once, for Peggy's sake," Sir Anthony retorted 倍のing up his papers with a 決定するd 空気／公表する. "Why, the fellow must be three times her age, if there were nothing else."

Judith sighed. "I am afraid that いつかs to a girl like Peggy that is part of the attraction."

"It is an absurd, an unheard-of thing, that they should try to settle the 事件／事情／状勢," Sir Anthony 不平（をいう）d, 支払う／賃金ing scant 注意する to his wife's 発言／述べるs. "Peggy can't have known him a month, and here is my stepmother 令状ing that the 約束／交戦, as she calls it, has her warmest 是認. While as for Alethea she 前向きに／確かに seems to imagine that I shall be 感謝する to her for having brought it about. I shall give them both a piece of my mind. I shall tell them—Why!"—getting up and going over to the window—"who is this, coming through the rosary? It looks like—I 宣言する it is Stephen Crasster. What in the world brings him 負かす／撃墜する here?" He opened the window as he spoke, and stepped out on to the terrace. "Stephen, old man, is that you?" he called out in my heartiest 迎える／歓迎するing. "You have come in the nick of time, for I have just heard a piece of news that has taken away my appetite for breakfast."

With her quick womanly intuition, Judith knew what the news would mean to the man who was coming に向かって them across the rosery, his keen kindly 直面する 有望な with smiles. She went out on the terrace too; touched her husband's arm.

"I would not speak of it yet, Anthony; they—Peggy might not like it, I mean," stammering a little as she met his astonished gaze. "Something might happen to 妨げる it."

"No such luck," Sir Anthony said ruefully. "They mean it to be 発表するd 正式に next week unless I can put a spoke in the wheel."

"Bad news! Have you?" Stephen questioned as he stepped on to the terrace. "Nothing very bad, I 信用. How do you do, Lady Carew"—a 確かな 形式順守 creeping into his トン—"For my own part I hope, Anthony, old man, that you may consider I am the 持参人払いの of good news this morning. I am conceited enough to think you will. You see before you the new owner of Talgarth."

"What!" Anthony exclaimed with a 広大な／多数の／重要な laugh, and a hearty squeeze of his friend's 手渡す, while Judith caught herself up in an exclamation that betokened anything but 楽しみ, and bit her lip. "You don't mean to say that it is settled? How 静かな about it you have been. Why didn't you tell me you were thinking of it?"

"I had a fancy for surprising you," Stephen smiled. "And you knew I was looking out for something in the neighbourhood. I have had my 注目する，もくろむ on Talgarth for some time. Do you remember we 棒 over to see it on our way to Mereham Park?"

Certainly Crasster's news had the 影響 of コースを変えるing Sir Anthony's mind from Peggy's misdeeds. His countenance lighted up. He looked 完全に pleased.

"I remember. It will want a lot of doing up, but there are endless 可能性s about the old place, and if you got it cheap I daresay you will do very 井戸／弁護士席 there. I know Judith and Peggy always say it is the prettiest place in the 郡."

"I know they do," Crasster assented. "I hope they will honour me by coming over some day soon and 示唆するing 改良s."

"Why, of course they will," Sir Anthony began あわてて; then his countenance clouded over. "That is to say, they will if anything happens to 妨げる Peggy from carrying out this wild 計画／陰謀 of hers. That is what is upsetting me. I have only just heard of it."

Stephen Crasster's grey 注目する，もくろむs twinkled. "What 計画／陰謀 of Peggy's do you mean? I have heard nothing of it. What has she been doing now?"

"Worse than ever," Sir Anthony 不平（をいう）d dismally. "She is going to marry Lord Chesterman."

"What!" The exclamation sounded almost like a groan as it broke from Crasster.

Judith, watching, saw that his dark 直面する had paled suddenly beneath its tan.

"Peggy is going to marry this new Lord Chesterham," Sir Anthony repeated, his トン growing more aggrieved. "How in the world she and Alethea can think I am likely to 認可する of such a match for her I am at a loss to imagine. Had you any idea that such a thing was in contemplation, Crasster?"

"I? Not the slightest," Stephen answered 静かに. After that first movement of involuntary self-betrayal he had dropped as it were a mask over his features. "It is rather sudden, isn't it?"

"Sudden? Of course it is sudden," Sir Anthony said impatiently. "She didn't know him when we left town. And now Alethea sends me word she is engaged to a man I never saw and never heard any good of. Do you know anything of him?"

"I have met him, I think," Stephen said slowly, 製図／抽選 his dark brows together thoughtfully. "Yes, he was at the Derehams'. He is a good-looking man."

"Good-looking!" Sir Anthony repeated scornfully. "What do I care about that? I want to know what sort of a man he is."

"I am afraid I can't help you there," Crasster said, 軍隊ing an 明らかな lightness into his manner. But, more 真面目に, "my knowledge of Peggy tells me that there must be some good in him if Peggy loves him."

"I don't feel so sure about that," Sir Anthony growled. "Peggy wouldn't be the first girl who has been made a fool of. 井戸／弁護士席, 井戸／弁護士席, I suppose talking won't mend 事柄s. And, anyhow, it is a 広大な／多数の／重要な thing to know we are going to have you for a 隣人, Stephen, old fellow. How soon do you 推定する／予想する to be 負かす／撃墜する?"

A slight change passed over Stephen's 直面する. "I am 負かす／撃墜する now, that is to say, I am staying in the house and seeing into things 一般に; there is a lot that wants doing. But I 港／避難所't any 意向 of settling at Talgarth for the 現在の. I am too fond of my profession for that. When I have finished the necessary 改良s, I must look about for a suitable tenant, or 配置する／処分する／したい気持ちにさせる of it in some way. Perhaps"—with a little laugh in which only Judith's quick ear （悪事，秘密などを）発見するd any bitterness—"I may give it to Peggy for a wedding 現在の."

"Nonsense!" Sir Anthony tore the greater part of his correspondence across and threw it into the wastepaper basket. "Nonsense, my dear fellow. You will have to settle 負かす／撃墜する yourself and receive our wedding 現在のs instead. I used to think—"

He was interrupted. Jenkins opened the door and 発表するd Lady Palmer. That lady ぱたぱたするd in with outstretched 手渡すs, and her pretty uncertain smile.

"You must not 非難する Jenkins, dear Lady Carew. I 主張するd on 存在 shown in to you at once. I have just heard this delightful news from Alethea, and I felt I must come over at once and 申し込む／申し出 my congratulations."

Judith submitted with as good a grace as she could to the little airy touch on her cheek which passed for a kiss. Sir Anthony frowned.

"Alethea has been in a hurry," he said すぐに. "I have not given my 同意 yet, and I am Peggy's 後見人 conjointly with her mother, a fact Alethea seems to forget."

"Oh, I am sure she doesn't. Only you couldn't but 認可する of this marriage," Lady Palmer 再結合させるd with a deprecating smile. "Lord Chesterham is a 広大な／多数の／重要な parti. He is the most perfectly charming man, besides 存在 enormously rich, and his 肩書を与える is の中で the oldest in the country. Our little Peggy will be a very 広大な／多数の／重要な lady, the envy of all her 同時代のs."

"Will she indeed?" Sir Anthony questioned ironically. "I suppose the fact that Lord Chesterham is three times her age, and that he 耐えるs a bad 評判 will not be taken into consideration."

Lady Palmer opened her 広大な／多数の／重要な dark 注目する，もくろむs to their fullest extent. "Dear Anthony, what does age 事柄? If Peggy is willing to overlook the little 不平等, certainly it does not seem to me that it 事柄s to anyone else. As to Lord Chesterham's 評判, 井戸／弁護士席, you must not rake up old スキャンダルs. And now I must 自白する I had another, a selfish 推論する／理由, for coming over this morning. I have had a letter to say that some of my jewels—the sapphires poor dear Palmer gave me on my first birthday after our marriage—were heirlooms. Now I know—"

"But, my dear Sybil, I have heard from Spencer, and he says—" Sir, Anthony drew her outside on the terrace.

Judith ちらりと見ることd at Stephen Crasster. In the （疑いを）晴らす morning light his pleasant dark 直面する looked worn a little 疲れた／うんざりした. He laughed a trifle cynically as he looked after the two on the terrace.

"I fancy the trustees will have some difficulty in 説得するing Lady Palmer to part with the sapphires," he 発言／述べるd caustically.

"I dare say they will," Judith assented absently. She was trying to screw up her courage to question Crasster about the flat 悲劇; probably she would never have a more favourable 適切な時期. "Have you been very busy lately?" she asked 試験的に. "I saw in the paper that that 事例／患者 you were 利益／興味d in, when some one was 発射 in a flat, had come to an end."

There was a pause. Stephen's 注目する，もくろむs were still 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on Sir Anthony and his cousin as they strolled up and 負かす／撃墜する on the terrace. The echo of Anthony's remonstrances, of Lady Palmer's exclamations, could be heard plainly in the breakfast-room.

"Yes," he said slowly at last. "The 検死 is finished, anyhow; so one 行う／開催する／段階 is over."

"One, 行う／開催する／段階!" Judith repeated blankly. "But I thought it said the police had no 手がかり（を与える）—that they had given up the 事例／患者. I fancied it was all over."

Stephen smiled. "Furnival is not so easily beaten. It was no use 延期，休会するing the 検死 again. But nothing would surprise me more than to hear that he had given up the 事例／患者. I happen to know that it excited his 利益／興味 enormously; there were so many curious points about it."

"Were there?" Judith said faintly. She had sat 負かす／撃墜する again in her place behind the tea-urn. She was touching the cups aimlessly. "Won't you have some tea or coffee, Mr. Crasster? I 恐れる in our excitement over this morning's news I must have appeared very inhospitable."

"I think I will have a cup of coffee, thanks." Crasster followed and took a seat 近づく her at the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. "I believe Furnival feels sure that the 逮捕（する） of the real 犯罪の in the flat 事例／患者 is only a 事柄 of time," he went on after a minute or two. "With all the 手がかり（を与える）s the police have at their 処分 it is hardly possible the 犯罪の should escape."

一時期／支部 XI

"I THOUGHT Anthony would be pleased," Peggy said wistfully.

She and Stephen Crasster were standing on a wide grassy path that ran 負かす／撃墜する the centre of the rosery at Heron's Carew. All 一連の会議、交渉／完成する them was a wealth of roses, 広大な／多数の／重要な climbing gloire de Dijons, crimson ramblers, pink and crimson ramblers, golden glowing William Allan Richardson. Peggy, in her white gown, with her big dewy 注目する，もくろむs, her exquisite pink and white 肌, her soft red lips, looked the fairest rose of them all, the man thought, gazing at her with a very human longing in his 肉親，親類d 注目する，もくろむs.

"Up in London everybody was so 肉親，親類d about it. And now—now I have come home it is all different. Anthony is やめる unkind; he says Lorrimer is too old, and that he doesn't like him for other 推論する／理由s. And Judith—井戸／弁護士席, Judith doesn't say much, but she looks white and—and disapproving. It is all very 哀れな."

Crasster took the girl's 手渡す in his. "Anthony is 自然に very anxious for his little sister's happiness."

Peggy's soft fingers clung to his; her pretty lips quivered. "Tell me, you are glad, aren't you, Stephen?"

Glad! For one moment the man caught his breath. A red もや rose before his 注目する，もくろむs. He thought of what had been, of what he had hoped would be, then with a 最高の 成果／努力 he 回復するd his self-支配（する）／統制する.

"Of course I am glad, Peggy," he said softly. "If you are happy, that is all I ask. Are you, Peggy?"

"Very—very happy!" the girl whispered, her cheeks 紅潮／摘発するing hotly.

"Then I am very, very glad, Peggy." With all his might the man was 戦う／戦いing 負かす／撃墜する the mad 誘惑 that bade him take the girl in his 武器, tell her that the love that had never failed in all her 有望な 青年 was hers now; would be hers for ever.

Peggy looked up at him with 感謝する, 湿気の多い 注目する，もくろむs. "Oh, you never disappoint me, Stephen. One is always sure of your sympathy."

Crasster smiled a little sadly. "You will not need my sympathy much longer, Peggy. You will have Lord Chesterham's." His 発言する／表明する changing in spite of his 成果／努力s, as he spoke his successful 競争相手's 指名する.

"Oh, but I shall—I shall always need every bit of your sympathy." Peggy had dropped his 手渡す now; she tucked her arm within his in the old playful confiding fashion, and drew him on with her. "I don't think that 存在 happy," with a 深くするing of colour, "せねばならない make one forgetful of other people."

Stephen could not forbear a grim smile.

"Oh, what a child you are still, Peggy," he said involuntarily.

The girl pouted. "You are not to say that. Please to remember that I was eighteen last month; Lorrimer is always forgetting, and you are almost as bad. But come, they are taking tea out, and I am 簡単に dying for some. What is wrong with"—lowering her 発言する／表明する—"Stephen Anthony and Judith?"

"Wrong with Anthony and Lady Carew!" Stephen brought 支援する his thoughts with a start. "What would be wrong with them? Lady Carew does not look 井戸／弁護士席; probably it is the heat."

"It was much hotter than this last year, and she was やめる 井戸／弁護士席," Peggy 発言／述べるd wisely. "Anthony is altered too. He walks about by himself and broods over things. Heigh-売春婦! The only one that seems 不変の at Heron's Carew is Paul, and he isn't really 不変の, because he gets sweeter and sweeter every day."

As she spoke she sprang 今後 and pounced upon her small 甥, who was just then passing the rosery gate in his nurse's 武器.

"Come to Auntie Peggy, and we will go and have cakes with Mummy." She carried him off in 勝利, seated on her shoulder, clutching at her hair with fat dimpled 手渡すs.

Stephen followed, smiling at them both, though his heart felt 激しい as lead.

Tea was served under the big beech as usual; Judith （機の）カム across the lawn as they made their 外見. She was wearing a 冷静な／正味の-looking gown of pale blue foulard. Against the blue of the gown her 直面する looked transparently white; there were hollows in the cheeks, 影をつくる／尾行するs under the 注目する，もくろむs. Crasster was struck もう一度 by her 空気／公表する of fragility as she shook 手渡すs with him.

Peggy 沈下するd on to the rug with Paul, gurgles and shrieks of laughter 証言するing to his 楽しみ in Auntie Peggy's society; Stephen, his hat pulled 負かす／撃墜する over his 注目する，もくろむs, watched them as he talked to Lady Carew. Suddenly he looked up.

"Why, there is some one coming across the park from Home 支持を得ようと努めるd. Surely, it is not Anthony?"

"No, Anthony was going the other way," Judith said easily. "And I am afraid he will not be 支援する just yet. Who can this be?"

She leaned 今後 wrinkling her brow.

Peggy sat up, 持つ／拘留するing the chuckling Paul on his feet. "There, soon you will be able to run races with Auntie Peggy, darling!" Then she caught sight of the tall 人物／姿／数字 now 速く 前進するing に向かって them. "Who is this?" she paused, her colour rose in a wave, flooding cheeks, neck, 寺s, as she sprang to her feet. "Lorrimer, oh!" She sped across the grass to 会合，会う him.

Judith gave one swift ちらりと見ること at Stephen; she saw that his 直面する was 緊張するd and 緊張した. She looked away. Peggy had reached the 前進するing 人物／姿／数字 now, they were coming 支援する together. Peggy hanging on the man's arm, as she used to hang on Stephen's. But, as she watched the two 前進するing 人物／姿／数字s, it seemed to Judith that there was something oddly, fatally, familiar about the carriage of the tall form that was bent over Peggy in so lover-like a fashion.

A 黒人／ボイコット もや rose before Lady Carew's 注目する，もくろむs, blotting out Stephen's 拷問d 直面する, the 前進するing lovers; she sat very still, one 手渡す しっかり掴むing the arm of her 議長，司会を務める. Paul, clutching at her skirts, whimpering a little in his astonishment at Peggy's desertion of him, 設立する himself for once unnoticed.

"Judith! Stephen!" It was Peggy's 発言する／表明する, eager, 控訴，上告ing. "It is Lorrimer! He got his 商売／仕事 in town over sooner than he 推定する／予想するd. He （機の）カム over from Chesterham to the Dower House this afternoon, 推定する／予想するing to surprise me, and Mother sent him on here."

The もや before Judith's 注目する，もくろむs was 分散させるing: she was pulling herself together, her 注目する，もくろむs 緊張するd themselves with pitiful intensity on the bronzed 直面する, the tall 幅の広い-shouldered 人物／姿／数字 by Peggy's 味方する. Then a sudden icy 冷淡な gripped her, the touch of a deadly 恐れる; so it was true then, Peggy's lover, Lord Chesterham, was the one man whose coming must （一定の）期間 calamity and 廃虚 to Judith, the man she had hoped and prayed she might never 会合，会う again.

Stephen, standing up, moving 今後 to 会合，会う the man who had taken Peggy from him, saw that Lady Carew's 直面する had changed, that an 半端物 sickly pallor had overspread her cheeks. The horror in her 注目する，もくろむs, their dumb agonized 控訴，上告, reminded him of some wild 罠にかける thing. Moved by some sudden impulse he put himself before her.

But Judith rose. She leant ひどく on the 支援する of her wicker-議長，司会を務める; for one moment Stephen thought that she was going to faint, he turned quickly to her. She waved him imperatively 支援する, her strange changeful 注目する，もくろむs looked 黒人／ボイコット as they 緊張するd themselves on the two who were very 近づく now.

"Judith, Judith, don't you see, don't you understand—this is Lorrimer!" Peggy's excited 発言する／表明する rang out again.

Stephen, standing aside, as the man （機の）カム 今後 with his ready smile, his outstretched 手渡す, 公式文書，認めるd how over Peggy's unconscious 長，率いる Judith Carew's 注目する，もくろむs met those of the new-comer; 公式文書，認めるd how the beautiful 直面する had assumed a look of mask-like rigidity, in which nothing seemed alive but the 広大な／多数の／重要な 燃やすing 注目する，もくろむs. He saw too, in the moment, before the 激しい lids drooped, the look of 勝利 that flashed across from Lord Chesterham.

"I hope that Lady Carew will give me a welcome to Heron's Carew, for Peggy's sake," Lord Chesterham was 説 as he bent over Judith's 手渡す.

Lady Carew's lips moved, but there was no audible answer.

"Of course she will!" Peggy said joyously. "Only she hasn't been 井戸／弁護士席 lately, and you have rather taken us by 嵐／襲撃する, you know, Lorrimer. I think we have startled her. Sit 負かす／撃墜する, Judith, dear, you are paler than ever."

But Judith put her aside. "I am やめる 井戸／弁護士席, Peggy. You are forgetting Mr. Crasster."

"Oh, no, I wasn't," Peggy said with her light laugh. "I never forget Stephen. This is Stephen, Lorrimer, who is to be your very greatest friend. I have told you all about him, 港／避難所't I?"

Lord Chesterham laughed as he held out his 手渡す. "You have indeed! I hope the friendship 行方不明になる Carew 提案するs 会合，会うs with your 是認, Mr. Crasster."

ちらりと見ることing into his 競争相手's smiling 注目する，もくろむs, Stephen knew that his secret was his own no longer. "I hope that Peggy's friends will: always be 地雷," he said slowly.

"Why, of course they will be," Peggy cried.

Judith had not moved, she stood a little behind. What was it that her 注目する，もくろむs held—repulsion, entreaty, 恐れる? Stephen, watching her, could not （不足などを）補う his mind.

He looked again at Peggy's lover. Lord Chesterham was 明らかに at his 緩和する. Many people would have called him handsome, but Stephen's keen gaze, accustomed to read the 直面するs of all sorts and 条件s of men, saw that the light smiling 注目する，もくろむs were 始める，決める a trifle too closely together, that there was a thickening of the lower part of the 直面する, 同様に as 確かな lines 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the mouth that spoke of an evil temper.

But he was all amiability to-day as he watched his young fianc馥 playing with Paul, and presently, when Judith had turned 支援する to her tea-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, 演説（する）／住所d a few casual 発言／述べるs to Stephen.

At last Peggy got up. "I am going to take Paul 支援する to the house."

"No! You are not to come with me, sir," with a mischievous ちらりと見ること at Chesterham, who had sprung 今後. "I want you, Stephen, because I wish most 特に to know what you think of Lorrimer."

一時期／支部 XII

STEPHEN and Peggy walked slowly across the grass に向かって the house, Paul nestling in Peggy's 武器, the echo of her soft laughter reaching the two who were left behind.

Judith did not look after them, did not move so much as an eyelid; she sat beside the tea-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, 絶対 motionless, her 手渡すs clasped together in her （競技場の）トラック一周, her 注目する，もくろむs 星／主役にするing straight before her.

Lord Chesterham drew up one of the chintz-covered 平易な 議長，司会を務めるs and sat 負かす／撃墜する 近づく her; 明らかに she did not even see him, she remained 絶対 immobile.

Presently he leaned 今後. "It is a 広大な／多数の／重要な 楽しみ to 会合，会う you here, Lady Carew," he said in his pleasant 井戸／弁護士席-modulated トンs. "Delightful to think that one of one's friends at any 率 is 安全に in harbour, in spite of the world's 嵐／襲撃する and 強調する／ストレス."

Then at last Judith turned her 長，率いる slowly, and looked at him. 常習的な sinner though he was, the man momentarily shrank from the horror, the loathing in her 注目する，もくろむs.

"How—how dare you!"

He laughed brazenly. "My dear Lady Carew—"

Judith was still 星／主役にするing at him with big 脅すd 注目する，もくろむs. She shuddered as she heard the sound of his laughter. "You—you are Lord Chesterham!"

"I am Lord Chesterham," he acquiesced, still with that evil smile. "いつかs I have thought, I have wondered whether you knew, dear Lady Carew, whether you guessed—"

"Guessed—" Judith shrank away from him with unconquerable aversion. "広大な／多数の／重要な heaven! how should I guess, how should I dream that such a thing should be—that heaven should let you come here—to 拷問 me?"

He laughed softly. "I don't know that heaven had much to do with the 事柄. As for 拷問ing you—if I had had any of the 意向s with which you so kindly credit me, I might have said a few words that would have materially altered your son's position. But you see—" spreading out his 手渡すs.

"Ah, Paul!" Judith's throat twitched miserably, her 星／主役にするing 注目する，もくろむs were 支配するd, held by the wicked smiling gaze of the man opposite. "You—you devil," she said hoarsely.

The man ちらりと見ることd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する uneasily. It was no part of his 計画（する） that she should be tormented into self-betrayal:

"Hush! Hush!" he said imperatively. "You are foolish! If I had ーするつもりであるd to tell your secret should I not have spoken sooner? Come, we must be friends, you and I. We shall soon be 関係のある—let me see, what shall we be? Brother and Sister-in-法律, I believe that is the 正確な 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語, is it not?"

Judith raised herself. "No!" she said jerkily. "No! We shall not be 関係のある; you shall never marry Peggy! You shall never be Peggy's husband!"

Chesterham's 注目する，もくろむs darkened; he leaned 今後 and looked her fully in the 直面する.

"How do you 提案する to 妨げる me?"

For one moment Judith struggled vainly for speech, her mouth twitched painfully.

"I will go to my husband, I will tell him—"

A sneer contorted the man's sensual lips. "What will you tell him? Where we last met, for instance? I can imagine your story 利益／興味ing him enormously if you do. Come, Judy, don't be a fool!" as she 星／主役にするd at him helplessly. "Don't you see that you can't 傷つける me without betraying yourself? Don't you realize that you are hopelessly in my 力／強力にする? That instead of 脅すing me, you should be begging for my mercy, for my silence? Don't you think that Sir Anthony Carew, 同様に as the public 一般に, would be intensely 利益／興味d to hear the circumstances of that last 会合?"

Judith caught her breath はっきりと. "Why 港／避難所't you told them? Why have you kept silence?"

He did not answer for a moment; his 注目する，もくろむs were watching her 直面する 熱心に.

"Because I was sorry for you," he said slowly at last. "Because I knew, 非，不，無 better, what your life had been like in the past; because I could guess something of what led to that last mad 行為／法令／行動する." He shrugged his shoulders. "No. Let the police 失敗 on; I felt in no way bound to help them. You may rely on my silence, unless you 干渉する with my 計画（する）s. Come, is it a 取引?"

He held out his 手渡す; Judith struck it aside.

"No! No! How can I? How can I let you marry Peggy—you?"

Chesterham's 表現 was not pleasant to see as he tugged at his moustache.

"I think you are forgetting one thing," he said at last, gazing に向かって the rosery where a glimpse of the tail of Peggy's white gown was to be caught. "I may not be good enough to be Peggy's husband—Heaven forbid that I should 否定する you," a momentary 軟化するing in his 発言する／表明する. "But," his 注目する，もくろむs hardening to steel again, "I put it to you, should I not be at least as suitable as a husband for her as you for a sister-in-法律? Do you think you are 正確に in a position to throw 石／投石するs?"

Judith quivered from 長，率いる to foot, her throat was parched and 燃やすing. She drank feverishly of the tea standing by her 味方する. It was 冷淡な now, but it seemed to 安定した her 神経s, to 冷静な／正味の the fever in her 血. She 設立する courage to turn, to look fully at that mocking 直面する at her 味方する.

"I—I should like to tell you—to let you know that though you met me coming away from the flat that night that I never 害（を与える）d him—Cyril," she said, speaking 急速な／放蕩な and jerkily. "I know that you think I did. It is natural perhaps, that you should, but I had nothing to do with his death—nothing."

"Then who had?" the man asked 静かに. His 注目する，もくろむs watched every movement of her 直面する, every fluctuation of her colour.

Judith raised her 注目する，もくろむs despairingly. "How should I know? I was there in the darkened room, and I heard the revolver 発射, that is all I know. I did not see anyone, I—I only heard the breathing."

There was a pause. Judith's 発言する／表明する had 中止するd, her 注目する，もくろむs were downcast. Still leaning 今後, his 肘s on his 膝s, Chesterham watched her intently.

Then at last he laughed aloud. The sound of it struck across Judith's flagging spirit like a 攻撃する of whipcord. She raised her 長，率いる, her colour 開始するing hotly. Chesterham laughed again.

"I am afraid you will have to try another story, Lady Carew," he said lightly. "I will think over the 事件／事情／状勢 myself. Perhaps I might be able to help you to something more probable. As for what you have told me—"

A 確かな 量 of courage had come 支援する to Judith. "I have told you the truth!" she said icily.

"Have you?" Chesterham questioned lightly. "Then I am afraid that it will hardly carry 有罪の判決. Let me put it to you. You had the strongest of all 動機s for getting rid of Stanmore. You are young, beautiful you have 達成するd an 保証するd position; you are happy in the love of your husband and your child. Stanmore's coming to England, his 発見 of you spelt 廃虚 for you. He 主張するs on seeing you. 推定では, at any 率 you visit him at his flat alone, late at night. The next morning he is 設立する dead—発射. As far as can be ascertained by the strictest 調査 you were the only 訪問者; you were met and 認めるd coming away. No, no! I'm afraid your story won't do, Lady Carew."

"にもかかわらず, it is true," Judith said wearily.

"井戸／弁護士席, then," Chesterham shrugged his shoulders. "I should 延期する making it public for as long a time as possible, dear Lady Carew. In all probability it will be received with a good dealt of scepticism. In the 合間, I 保証する you, you may rely upon my silence as long as you do not 干渉する with my 計画（する）s. Now 許す me to 示唆する that you pull yourself together. Peggy is coming 支援する, and some one is with her; it is not the estimable Crasster. I 結論する, therefore, that it must be your—it must be Sir Anthony Carew."

Judith looked up. Yes, it was Anthony who was coming に向かって them from the rosery at Peggy's 味方する; Anthony, with his dear dark 直面する downbent, looking by no means pleased at the prospect of making his 未来 brother-in-法律's 知識.

Lord Chesterham got up and went to 会合，会う them. Judith heard Peggy's introduction. "This is Lorrimer, Anthony." She saw that Sir Anthony only 屈服するd stiffly; that he paused noticeably before taking Chesterham's outstretched 手渡す. Peggy left the two men together and flew across to her sister-in-法律.

"Stephen was 強いるd to go," she complained. "Wasn't it tiresome? Just when I 特に 手配中の，お尋ね者 him to stay and make friends with Lorrimer."

Sir Anthony and Lord Chesterham joined them in a minute or so. Chesterham was evidently laying himself out to make a good impression on Peggy's brother. Under the 影響（力） of his genial manner and ready, pleasant smile Sir Anthony's first ill-humour was 明らかに 雪解けing.

Yet Judith saw that his 注目する，もくろむs had a puzzled 表現. After a minute or two Chesterham noticed it also.

"I wonder whether you have 示すd the 広大な／多数の／重要な likeness that is said to 存在する between the portrait of my ancestor who fell at Fontenoy and myself, Sir Anthony?" he asked 試験的に.

"No," Carew answered slowly, "though I see it now that I hear you speak of it. You are very like him. I suppose it must have been that after all. Or かもしれない there is a resemblance to the last lord. I believe there is."

He relapsed into silence as Peggy （人命などを）奪う，主張するd Chesterham's attention.

The lovers strolled away and walked up and 負かす／撃墜する under the trees.

Left alone, husband and wife sat silent, constrained. Judith told herself that she would have told Anthony everything, that she would have thrown herself upon his mercy and 信用d to his love to understand and 許す, if she had not 設立する that 罪を負わせるing paper in the secret drawer of his dressing-事例／患者, if she could have rid herself of the horrible 疑問 its 所有／入手 暗示するd. She watched Anthony furtively from under the 影をつくる／尾行する of her long 攻撃するs. He for his part was stirring up the contents of his tea cup, and gazing at them in a 暗い／優うつな abstracted fashion. Suddenly he started and uttered a sharp, inaudible exclamation.

Judith raised her 注目する，もくろむs. "What is it?"

Sir Anthony did not answer. He was looking across at Chesterham. At last he turned his 注目する，もくろむs 支援する to his wife. Their 表現 was so curious, such an 半端物 mixture of 告訴，告発 and yet of horror that Judith involuntarily shrank from him.

"It was nothing," he answered her slowly at last. "Only a stitch in my 味方する. I have had several lately. I was just thinking that undoubtedly Lord Chesterham is very like some of his family portraits. That was why"—with a slight stammer—"his 直面する and 人物／姿／数字 seemed ばく然と familiar to me at first."

一時期／支部 XIII

THE Wembley Horticultural Show, and the 運動競技の sports, which were held together in the Wembley People's Park, was a very 広大な／多数の／重要な event to the country folk around Wembley. It would be a 特に brilliant 機能（する）／行事 this year in the estimation of the country people, since not only was Lady Carew to 分配する the prizes to the successful competitors, but of course the new Lord Chesterham would be there in 出席 on his fianc馥, 行方不明になる Peggy Carew.

Sir Anthony Carew, in his position as Peggy's 後見人, had 主張するd that there should be no 認めるd 約束／交戦, no talk of a wedding for at least a year. He had 宣言するd that Peggy was too young to know her own mind, that the year would give her breathing space, and also 許す them an 適切な時期 of knowing something of Lord Chesterham, who was at 現在の 事実上 a stranger to them all. That Peggy, 同様に as her mother and her lover, thought this 絶対 不当な, went without 説.

The morning of the Wembley Show 夜明けd 罰金 and （疑いを）晴らす; as the day wore on, it became almost oppressively 蒸し暑い; Sir Anthony and Lady Carew モーターd over, arriving on the scene in good time. Stephen Crasster was with them, and they were soon joined by General Wilton and his family, and Lady Palmer.

In the テント given over to the 展示 of （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する decorations they 遭遇（する）d the Dowager Lady Carew and Peggy, with Lord Chesterham in 出席. His stepmother 大（公）使館員d herself to Sir Anthony now in her gentle wavering fashion. Peggy turned 熱望して to Stephen, and Chesterham managed to place himself by Judith.

She was wearing an exquisite gown of painted muslin, her leghorn hat, with its bunch of feathers and big brilliant buckle shaded her 直面する, and a long 隠す of exquisite Chantilly lace was thrown behind.

"Have you seen to-day's papers?" Chesterham asked with 明らかな carelessness.

"No!" Judith turned paler. "Why, what do you mean—is there anything about the—?"

Chesterham slowly 広げるd a piece of paper. "I thought you would be 利益／興味d, so I 削減（する） this out, in 事例／患者 you had not seen it." He 手渡すd it to her, and she read:

THE ABBEY COURT MURDER

"It is understood that within the last few days the police have made an important 発見 with regard to this 事例／患者. They are, 自然に reticent, but it is rumoured that その上の 開発s are 推定する／予想するd hourly, and that an 逮捕（する） will be made very すぐに. 報告（する）／憶測 has it that the 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う is a person of good family, moving in the highest social circles."

"井戸／弁護士席," Chesterham was smiling as she looked up.

She put the paper 支援する in his 手渡す, with a gesture of despair.

"The hopes of the police seem to be rising, do they not?" he went on in a conversational トン. "It will be やめる a 原因（となる） c駘鐫re. I wonder whether you have noticed one thing, it says 'a person'; now hitherto it has always been assumed that the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺害者 was a woman. Does this vagueness mean that the police have changed their minds, I wonder?"

Judith gazed at him, a nameless 恐れる gripping her heart. In the days すぐに に引き続いて the 殺人, and their first return to Heron's Carew, it had seemed to her that she had sounded every depth of 悲惨; but since she had 設立する the paper in her husband's dressing-事例／患者 she had discovered that there were yet unknown abysses of woe, into which she might be 急落（する），激減（する）d.

"Have you heard something? What do you mean?" she questioned hoarsely.

The smile in the man's mocking 注目する，もくろむs 深くするd. "井戸／弁護士席, you know I have been thinking over what you told me the other day," he said slowly. "I was rude enough to 疑問 it at the time, but when I thought it over later I saw a 確かな 可能性 that had not occurred to me before. It was possible that—some one might have overheard your 任命 with Cyril, or have discovered it in some way; that this person—if we use the newspapers' judicious phrase—might have followed you, and 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the 致命的な 発射. It is possible that this theory has occurred to the police. In this latter 事例／患者"—his 発言する／表明する becoming softer, more persuasive—"don't you see how 価値のある the 証拠 I could give might become, as 証明するing the person's 身元?"

Judith opened her lips, but for a moment she literally could not speak, no sound would come from her 乾燥した，日照りの parched mouth. Chesterham was 倍のing the paper, placing it in his pocket-調書をとる／予約する; his 表現 as he turned to her was one of evil 勝利.

"Do you think that Sir Anthony is やめる in a position, all things considered, to place 障害s in the way of my 約束／交戦 with Peggy? I think I shall have to ask for an interview, and put 事柄s plainly before him."

"You—you couldn't!" The cry burst from Judith's 拷問d heart. In truth it did seem to her that the refinement of cruelty 示唆するd by his words would be impossible even to the man before her.

His look at her, as he raised his brows, made her feel that he would stand at nothing to 得る his ends.

"I had hoped that you would spare me the trouble?" he said, in a やめる unemotional 発言する／表明する. "But I want you to understand definitely, Lady Carew, that my silence is only 条件付きの."

"条件付きの!" Judith repeated. "What is the 条件?" she questioned, with the same 半端物 feeling that nothing 事柄d much; yet, though her 発言する／表明する was perfectly 安定した, her 直面する, her lips, had faded to an 絶対の pallor, her 注目する，もくろむs had a 直す／買収する，八百長をするd 恐ろしい 星／主役にする.

"My 条件 is Sir Anthony Carew's 解放する／自由な 同意 to my marriage with his sister," Chesterham said in his slow level 発言する／表明する, with its grim undertone of rigid 決意.

一時期／支部 XIV

JUDITH got up quickly, the scene around her was growing dimmer, the only thing, it seemed to her, was to get away, to be alone. But Chesterham rose too. He overtook her and walked beside her, his long 脚s keeping pace with her hurrying footsteps without difficulty.

People were 集会 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the cricket ground now; Judith and Lord Chesterham made their way behind them quickly.

An old woman separated herself from the （人が）群がる, and （機の）カム に向かって them, an old woman with a withered 直面する that still bore traces of past comeliness, with white waving hair and big sunken 注目する，もくろむs. She put herself 直接／まっすぐに in their path, curtsying 深く，強烈に.

"Sure and your lordship hasn't forgotten old Betty 物陰／風下?"

Judith moved aside and went on quickly.

For an instant Chesterham 星／主役にするd at the old woman, then, as their 注目する，もくろむs met, he smiled and held out his 手渡す.

"Why, no! of course I have not forgotten my old friend, long as it is since we met. How has the world been using you, Betty?"

The old woman started a little as she heard his 発言する／表明する.

She peered 今後 and looked up into his 直面する, then she curtsied again with a little cackling laugh.

"I have nothing to complain of, my lord; a little rheumatism now and then, and a cough in the winter."

"And how is my friend Ronald? You see I 港／避難所't forgotten him, either."

"No!" Again the old woman gave that cackling laugh. "No, I see you 港／避難所't, my lord. But"—her keen 注目する，もくろむs watching the 救済 in the man's 直面する—"he is dead, young Ronald is—years ago; or it is a proud man he would have been to-day, to see his old playmate come 支援する the lord of Chesterham."

"Ronald dead!" Was it 悲しみ or 救済 in Chesterham's 注目する，もくろむs. "Why, I had not heard. I must come up and have a 割れ目 with you over the old times, Betty. Are you living alone?"

"I have got my son Hiram with me, my lord." The old woman bent 今後 gazing 明らかに at the man's 手渡すs. "You'll remember Hiram maybe, Hiram that used to take you and Ronald out fishing? You'll have the Chesterham 星／主役にする, my lord?"

The sudden question seemed to take Lord Chesterham aback. He 星／主役にするd at her a minute without answering, then his 直面する changed, his eyelids flickered. Without speaking he moved up his 権利 cuff, and showed a blue 示す, 星／主役にする-形態／調整d, just above the wrist.

Old Betty's 表現 altered almost to 恐れる as she 星／主役にするd at it. "Your lordship will 許す me—if I have been too 解放する／自由な."

The man smiled with a furtive ちらりと見ること at her withered 直面する, as he pulled his cuff 負かす／撃墜する. "解放する／自由な! Not a bit of it; I am glad you spoke to me." He gave her a smiling nod as he walked away.

Old Betty 星／主役にするd after him, amazed look on her wrinkled 直面する. Her lips moved slowly. "It seems I were wrong, and yet I could ha' took my 誓い to it!"

The smile was still ぐずぐず残る in Chesterham's 注目する，もくろむs as he strolled 支援する to the テントs.

Judith had not lost a moment when old Betty stopped them. She hurried onwards, 意図 only on getting away, on hiding herself from this mocking fiend of a man. She scarcely 認めるd Stephen Crasster as he crossed the soft turf to 迎撃する her.

"Lady Carew, Peggy wants you to see the roses from the Dower House. She 宣言するs that they have beaten Heron's Carew. But what is the 事柄. You are ill," as he saw Judith's 恐ろしい 直面する.

Judith put out her 手渡す. Stephen Crasster had never been wholly her friend; she had always felt that Anthony's marriage had disappointed him, that in some way he disapproved of her. But she was thankful to see him now, at any 率 he would 保護する her from Chesterham's insolence.

"It was the heat that was too much for me, I fancy," she said incoherently.

"But Chesterham," Stephen looked bewildered.

"He went to speak to somebody, I think." Judith said ばく然と. "Mr. Crasster, I must go home. I am not 井戸／弁護士席 enough to stay. Make my excuses for me."

Stephen turned with her. "I am exceedingly sorry. Won't you take one of the seats? And I will bring the モーター 一連の会議、交渉／完成する."

"No, no," Judith 否定するd him feverishly. "I am going there to it, and indeed you must not leave the others. Don't let them know I have gone if you can help it."

"You must at least let me see you to the car," Stephen said 厳粛に.

に向かって six o'clock the Wembley Show was at its 高さ. The people from the surrounding villages were 注ぐing in, eager to see the sight, to discuss the 質 of the 展示（する）s, and to congratulate the prize-勝利者s. The prizes were to be 分配するd in 前線 of the grand stand on the sports ground at seven o'clock. It had been decided that, as Lady Carew was unfortunately indisposed, her place should be taken by her young sister-in-法律, and, as the time grew 近づく, Peggy made her way to the centre of the stand in a ぱたぱたする of excitement tempered by nervousness. Her brother and mother were with her, and Stephen Crasster and Chesterham stood behind.

Lady Palmer was there, and ちらりと見ることd at General Wilton with a smile, but he, too, was watching Peggy, and with a little 匂いをかぐ of 優越, Lady Palmer leaned 支援する in her 議長，司会を務める.

Two ladies passed. Lady Palmer leaned 今後 and looked at them 真面目に. She saw a pretty fair-haired girl, and with her was a slight graceful woman with silver hair. Her 直面する seemed familiar, but for a moment Lady Palmer could not place her. A moment later, however, her 直面する （疑いを）晴らすd, and she put out her 手渡す.

"Mrs. May, how stupid of me not to 認める you before!" She drew her skirts aside. "Do come and sit 負かす／撃墜する. Is this one of your girls?"

"No, this is a little niece who is staying with us, Sophie Rankin, Lady Palmer." Mrs. May hesitated a moment. Good vicar's wife as she was, she had thought Lady Palmer haughty, disagreeable; to-day she （機の）カム to the 結論 that she had sadly misjudged her. She took the 議長，司会を務める next to her, and sat 負かす／撃墜する, 行方不明になる Rankin remained standing, biting her 十分な underlip, her 注目する，もくろむs misty.

Lady Palmer ちらりと見ることd at her. "Won't your niece sit 負かす／撃墜する?" she asked sweetly. "She looks in trouble. Is there anything the 事柄?"

"She has had a little 失望, poor child," Mrs. May said with slight reserve. "And she is young and shows it, that is all."

Lady Palmer looked again at the girl standing up beside them.

"What was the 失望?" she asked lightly.

The girl's lips quivered. "I had been looking 今後 to seeing Lady Carew. I used to be so fond of her."

"Were you really? Ah, 井戸／弁護士席, you must see her some other time," Lady Palmer 答える／応じるd with seeming 無関心／冷淡. She turned to her host. "I'm sure you remember Mrs. May, general," she said sweetly.

The general turned somewhat unwillingly from his 賞賛 of Peggy.

"Why, bless my soul, of course I do. Is your husband here, Mrs. May? I wonder what he thought of my 展示（する）s? I always like to know his opinion."

Mrs. May smiled with much gratification. "I am sure, general, he would be delighted." This was Lady Palmer's 適切な時期; she knew the general. She felt 確かな that Mrs. May would not get away from him very easily, now that he was once 開始する，打ち上げるd on the topic of his hothouse and gardens, with a fresh auditor. She turned to the tall, fair girl who was leaning 今後, as if trying to catch a ちらりと見ること of Sir Anthony Carew.

"Come and sit here, my dear, we must have a little talk together, I am so sorry you are disappointed." She spoke lightly, and 動議d the girl to sit beside her.

Sophie's 直面する brightened as she took the 空いている seat.

"I am sure Wembley Show is delightful," she said shyly. "It is only that I have been looking 今後 to it so tremendously, because I heard that Lady Carew was 推定する／予想するd to give the prizes away, and when I knew that she was not coming I was so dreadfully disappointed. I am afraid you will think me a terrible baby," she finished with a sigh.

"Indeed I don't!" Lady Palmer smiled, with 井戸／弁護士席 assumed quasi-maternal 利益／興味. "Do you know Lady Carew very 井戸／弁護士席?" She could not help the undertone of 深い 利益／興味 that crept into her 発言する／表明する.

But 行方不明になる Rankin 明らかに noticed nothing. "Isn't she a darling?" she cried enthusiastically. "I always adored her. And I believe really I was her favourite, though we were all fond of 行方不明になる Latimer."

"行方不明になる Latimer," Lady Palmer repeated, raising her 注目する，もくろむ-brows. "Then it was before her marriage that you knew my cousin. But of course, I believe I have heard her について言及する your 指名する"—mendaciously—"of course you are—I mean, you were—"

"Yes! She was our governess," Sophie Rankin said 熱望して. "And you have really heard her について言及する us, Lady Palmer. I wonder what she said?"

Lady Palmer's 注目する，もくろむs had 狭くするd, her mouth was smiling still, but her 表現 had altered. A touch of subtle 勝利 mingled now with its sweetness. 運命／宿命 itself must have sent Sophie Rankin to her at this particular moment, she thought.

"She has not said very much, 自然に," she said slowly. "But she has always spoken of you as if she was fond of you."

Sophie clasped her 手渡すs, her blue 注目する，もくろむs lighted up. "Oh, she was—I know she was. Nobody shall ever make me believe she was not."

Lady Palmer ちらりと見ることd at her quickly. "But of course she was fond of you," she 観察するd with 決定／判定勝ち（する）. "Who can かもしれない try to make you think she was not?"

"It is Mother," Sophie said confidentially. "She thinks Lady Carew does not wish to remember us because she has not written to us since her marriage. She wrote me that my aunt was not to take me to Heron's Carew. I was not to 捜し出す out Lady Carew in any way. And of course I 港／避難所't. But I thought I shouldn't be putting myself in her way," continued Sophie, "if she had been here to-day, just to stand somewhere where she could have seen me; and then perhaps if she would have remembered me—she would have spoken to me!"

Lady Palmer laughed. "Of course Lady Carew would have spoken to you. Now I have been thinking, I will take the 責任／義務. As Lady Carew is ill, it would be no use going to Heron's Carew to-night, she would not be able to see us, but to-morrow, if Mrs. May will spare you, I will 運動 over with you. I know the dear general will let me have his carriage."

Sophie's ingenuous countenance turned pink all over. "Oh, how 肉親，親類d you are, and how I should love to come, but it is impossible; I am going home in the morning."

"I am sorry," Lady Palmer's トン showed that she meant what she said. "Couldn't you かもしれない put off your 旅行 for a day?"

Sophie shook her 長，率いる. "Mother has already let me stay a week longer than my 初めの 招待. I must go 支援する to-morrow, but thank you very much for thinking of it, Lady Palmer, all the same."

Lady Palmer's active brain was busy. Even to herself she would hardly have 定評のある that her dislike of Judith Carew lay in the fact that the latter was her cousin's wife. That, as Sybil Carew, Lady Palmer had made a big mistake when she threw over her cousin Anthony for Lord Palmer, she had long known; but for the presence of Judith at Heron's 法廷，裁判所, she felt 確かな that her mistake might have been 修理d. Lady Palmer had watched her cousin's wife. She had seen the beautiful 注目する，もくろむs darken with 恐れる. She had seen her start and ちらりと見ること 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at any sudden noise, as though haunted by some never-中止するing dread. More and more was she 納得させるd that Judith's past held some secret; more and more 決定するd did she grow to find it out, to use it to her own advantage.

"How long was Lady Carew with you?" she asked Sophie 突然の. "A long time was it not?"

"Two years," the girl answered 簡単に. "She stayed until I was nearly seventeen."

"Only two years?" Lady Palmer repeated. "I thought it had been longer. Stay; perhaps it was some earlier pupils I was thinking of. Do you remember the 指名する of the people she was with before she （機の）カム to you?"

"I don't know." Sophie's 発言する／表明する sounded altered. She was trying to catch Mrs. May's 注目する，もくろむ 明らかに. "I have forgotten."

Mrs. May was taking leave of the general. "I am sure my husband thinks as you do, general."

"So does every sensible man," the general returned, as he shook 手渡すs.

Mrs. May's 注目する，もくろむs were a little anxious as she ちらりと見ることd at her young niece. "Come, Sophie, dear, I believe we せねばならない be going now; we have a long 運動 before us, you know."

Lady Palmer saw that her 適切な時期 was over. She ちらりと見ることd smilingly at Sophie. "You must give me your 演説（する）／住所, my dear."

The girl looked red, a little 混乱させるd. "St. Barnabas' Vicarage, Chelsea," she said あわてて. "Father is Canon Rankin."

"Canon Rankin! Why, of course I know—I mean, I have heard of him," Lady Palmer exclaimed, with a sudden memory of a clergyman whose work の中で the outcasts of London was 得るing a grudging 承認 from all classes. "I believe my sister—Mrs. Dawson—knows him やめる 井戸／弁護士席. We shall 会合，会う again some day, my dear." She nodded and smiled as Mrs. May drew the girl away.

The prize-giving was nearly over now; Peggy turned to 交流 a smile with Chesterham. Stephen Crasster's 手渡す went up to his chin and pulled it restlessly. He told himself that he could stand no more, that since Chesterham was there he would not be 行方不明になるd, and he made his way out by the 支援する of the stand.

Outside he nearly 衝突する／食い違うd with an unobtrusive-looking little man with a bushy, sandy 耐えるd, and stopped with a sudden exclamation.

"What, Furnival! Is it you?"

The sandy bearded one ちらりと見ることd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する apprehensively. "Hush, if you please, sir! My 指名する is Lennox—Walter Lennox. I have come 負かす／撃墜する to see a friend."

"On 商売／仕事?" Stephen drew him away from the （人が）群がる, now all gathered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the sports ground. They walked across the bowling-green in the direction of the テントs. "I thought you were so busy with that flat 事例／患者."

視察官 Furnival looked at him with a mildly-利益／興味d smile.

"So I am, sir! But I am sure you must 認める that every one must have a holiday いつかs. I have been going a bit too strong lately, and the doctors tell me my heart isn't what it was."

"I see." The two men were as much alone to-day on the 静かな little bowling-green as if they had been on a 砂漠 island. Stephen ちらりと見ることd at his companion with a whimsical smile.

"And so you call yourself Lennox when you come out for the 利益 of your health?"

The 視察官's wide, humorous lips relaxed a little beneath his sandy moustache. "I like to be incog. いつかs, sir. And, besides"—he took counsel with himself a moment before he went on—"it isn't altogether health that brought me 負かす／撃墜する, though the doctor did order me into the country, but I took the liberty of choosing a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where I thought a stay might be profitable."

Stephen laughed 完全な. "I guessed as much. 井戸／弁護士席, you must come up and have a 麻薬を吸う and a taste of bachelor fare at Talgarth one of these days, 視察官. And, if your 商売／仕事 is anything in which I can help you, you know there is nothing I like better than a bit of 探偵，刑事 work."

視察官 Furnival was looking at the ground now. "Thank you, you are very 肉親，親類d. I know your advice has often been most 価値のある."

"What do you say to coming 支援する with me now?" Stephen went on. "My car is 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at the Lion. And you can tell me what you think of my port. I know you are a bit of a connoisseur."

The 視察官 hesitated a moment. Manifestly the 申し込む／申し出 tempted him.

"You are very good, sir, but another time, if you please. Mixing with a （人が）群がる like this one 選ぶs up hints that come in useful いつかs. I am hoping I may do so to-night."

"Ah, 井戸／弁護士席, another time, then," Stephen nodded. "I understand. Good-bye and good luck to you, 視察官."

He strode off.

The 視察官 strolled 支援する to the sports ground. The prize-giving was over. Peggy was standing 近づく the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する talking to one of the 勝利者s. Her mother and Sir Anthony, with Lord Chesterham, stood behind him with a group of 郡 有力者／大事業家s.

The 視察官's 注目する，もくろむs ちらりと見ることd across reflectively.

一時期／支部 XV

"OH, but Miladi is better, much better, and she 願望（する）s that I come to the 祝日，祝う," C駘estine said virtuously.

"I am glad she did. We could not have afforded to have 行方不明になるd you," her companion 宣言するd gallantly.

He was the same, dark moustached, smiling little man whom the gossips of Heron's Carew had averred the French maid was 会合 in the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd. However that might be, it was obvious that he was 推定する／予想するing her at the Wembley Show. He had been waiting at the 入り口 gates for やめる a かなりの time before she had appeared, and he went 今後 to 会合，会う her, hat in 手渡す, with かなりの empressement. C駘estine looked by no means 逆の to 存在 護衛するd into the grounds by so presentable a swain. She herself was looking her vain coquettish best. She smiled up at the man walking by her 味方する.

"So I am glad, Mr. Barker! Your f黎e makes a little change. Ah, but it is a triste place, Heron's Carew!"

"It isn't lively," the man agreed with a laugh. "I want you to do me a favour, mademoiselle."

C駘estine looked gracious. "What is that, Mr. Barker? You know—"

"I want you to let me introduce a friend," Mr. Barker proceeded. "He （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する from town yesterday, my friend did. He is going to stop a bit for his health, and I think the poor fellow feels lonely. There he is walking about by himself, so if you wouldn't mind him joining us—not that I want to 株 your society with anyone else," he finished with a complimentary ちらりと見ること.

C駘estine bridled. She looked across at the 独房監禁 人物／姿／数字 that Mr. Barker had 示すd. Her quick French 注目する，もくろむs 公式文書，認めるd that, though there was nothing 特に noticeable about the man's 直面する and 人物／姿／数字, he was immaculately dressed, with a care that reminded her of London. Her 注目する，もくろむs brightened, it seemed that there might be 可能性s about Mr. Barker's friend.

"But of course I shall be delighted!" she 許すd graciously.

They went across together. "Mlle C駘estine Delafours, may I introduce Mr. Lennox?" Mr. Barker said with a 繁栄する.

Mr. Lennox 屈服するd with a deference that pleased C駘estine. He had 罰金 注目する，もくろむs she said to herself, and, though she might not admire sandy 耐えるd, tastes must 異なる, and the stranger had at least an 空気／公表する.

"You are 負かす／撃墜する here, at Wembley, for your health, Monsieur?" she questioned in her pretty broken English.

Mr. Lennox 屈服するd. "I am staying at Carew Village, at the Carew 武器."

"Ah!" C駘estine gave a melting ちらりと見ること 上向きs. "As is Monsieur Barker. And you are an artist like him is it not so, monsieur?"

Mr. Lennox shook his 長，率いる. "I am not so clever, mademoiselle, I am only a collector."

"A collector," C駘estine echoed with a pretty little puzzled 空気／公表する. "I do not understand, monsieur. What is a collector?"

Mr. Lennox laughed. "井戸／弁護士席, it is more a hobby than a profession, mademoiselle. I am lucky enough to have an income to cover my small wants, and I have a natural taste for collecting 反対するs of art. Why, what is this?"

A boy with a 電報電信 was coming に向かって them. "For the gentleman as is staying at the Carew 武器, Mr. Barker!" he said looking from one to the other.

With a quick exclamation Barker took it from him, tore it open and ran his 注目する，もくろむs over it.

"Nothing wrong, I hope," said Mr. Lennox sympathetically.

"井戸／弁護士席, yes!" Mr. Barker seemed to have difficulty in finding his words. "My mother has been taken suddenly ill. I shall have to be off at once. I shall just have time to catch the 表明する. Mademoiselle"—turning to C駘estine—"how can I わびる to you? You will think me 絶対 unmannerly, but my mother—"

"Mademoiselle will understand that your 出発 is 避けられない," said Mr. Lennox, cutting the other's 停止（させる）ing words short. "And, if you are to catch the 表明する, my dear fellow, you 港／避難所't a moment to lose. I will take your place as far as it is possible with Mademoiselle, if she will 許す me the 楽しみ of 護衛するing her."

"But Monsieur is too good!" And C駘estine made play with her 注目する，もくろむs.

Mr. Barker hurried off, with many incoherent 陳謝s. When he had finally 出発／死d, Mr. Lennox looked at C駘estine with a smile.

"Which way will you go, mademoiselle?"

"I would like to walk の中で the people, if you please, monsieur; not 権利 in the （人が）群がる, but about here, where you can see people—and feel that there is life."

"You find it dull at Heron's Carew!" Lennox 観察するd sympathetically.

C駘estine held up her 手渡すs. "But of all things. And to me, who understood that miladi was to spend the season in town, it is all that there is of the most horrible. I would never have engaged to come to Heron's Carew all the time, like this—never!"

He ちらりと見ることd at her comprehendingly. "It is hard on you, mademoiselle. But I suppose Lady Carew is not strong enough for the gaieties of the season."

C駘estine shrugged her shoulders. "Miladi has a 憲法 of the most magnifique. But one day she has a migraine, and your English doctors are fools. She is sent 負かす／撃墜する to this triste Heron's Carew, where there is never any person to speak to but Sir Anthony and 行方不明になる Peggy, and what can you 推定する／予想する?"

"She is not getting better?" Lennox questioned.

"But no," C駘estine answered energetically. "How should she be here in this dullness? And it is impossible for her to be gay when Sir Anthony—he mopes always, and is sulky."

Mr. Lennox looked 利益／興味d. "Perhaps they don't get on. I saw him just now when they were giving the prizes away. He looks as if he had a temper of his own."

C駘estine raised her eyebrows. "Was there ever a Carew of them all that had not?" she 需要・要求するd. "The mad Carews, the people 一連の会議、交渉／完成する here call them. I think it is a good 指名する—me. But, as for getting on, Sir Anthony and miladi used to be like lovers always. It was wearisome to see them together, until the night of Lady Denborough's dinner-party. Since then all has been changed."

"They quarrelled perhaps," her companion 示唆するd, as she paused and looked mysterious.

"Perhaps," she said slowly, 解除するing her shoulders. "I do not know. At any 率, miladi and Sir Anthony went to a wedding, Lady Geraldine Summerhouse's, in the afternoon. Then miladi had her migraine and did not go to Lady Denborough's. It may have been that Sir Anthony was sulky because he did not want to go alone. Most men are like that—thoughtless, what you call, selfish!" with a swift upraising of her dark 攻撃するs.

Mr. Lennox rose to the occasion gallantly. "I should not be thoughtless or selfish if I had a 甘い little wife like—" His 注目する，もくろむs pointed the unfinished 宣告，判決.

C駘estine smiled, did her best to blush.

"But men are all alike—before," with a coquettish ちらりと見ること.

"Not all—any more than you ladies," Mr. Lennox 否定するd playfully. "Now you, mademoiselle, if you had a 頭痛, you would make a struggle to go out with your husband, I know; you would not leave him to go alone."

The maid pursed up her lips. "If it ふさわしい my 目的 I might or I might not, monsieur. いつかs—いつかs it may be that a migraine is—shall we say—convenient?"

Mr. Lennox looked at her, his 直面する a 熟考する／考慮する of good-humoured surprise. "I don't understand, mademoiselle. You say that Lady Carew's 頭痛s are convenient."

"Not all of miladi's migraines are," C駘estine 否定するd. "But that first one, on the night of Lady Denborough's dinner, was a convenient one, all the same. But there, monsieur, いつかs it happens that my tongue runs away with me; we will talk of something else."

Lennox looked at her a moment, and then he threw 支援する his 長，率いる and laughed.

"Do you think I should gossip, mademoiselle? Bless my life it isn't as if I were a married man with a wife to whisper my secrets to," casting a sentimental ちらりと見ること at the girl.

C駘estine's eyelids flickered coyly.

Mr. Lennox drew a little nearer. "いつかs one does get led away, mademoiselle; one 会合，会うs somebody suddenly, the very sight of whom seems to alter one's life. It is hard to realize that the feeling is not 相互の, that one is 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd, 疑問d; but I suppose, if one weren't a fool, one would be 用意が出来ている for it."

"But 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd, monsieur, 疑問d?" C駘estine ちらりと見ることd up quickly into the 穏やかな blue 注目する，もくろむs that were watching her with such evident 利益／興味. In her shrewd little heart she was calculating the 可能性s; it was 明らかな that the new-comer was 大いに attracted to her. There was an 空気／公表する of 繁栄 about him which impressed C駘estine. Decidedly, she thought, it appeared as though he would be a better match than Barker. Altogether she thought it might be 同様に to temporize. "It was only that though miladi had strange ways I do not speak of them usually; but to you, monsieur, who seem not like other men, it is different. Only you must understand that I do not gossip—me."

"Good heavens, no." The man laughed again with every 外見 of good 約束. "And what does it 事柄 to me whether Lady Carew has her own little game to play, if she breaks 約束／交戦s in order to get out of doors to—perhaps better say no more."

"But, monsieur," C駘estine was 星／主役にするing at him with wide open 注目する，もくろむs, "what do you mean, what do you know?"

The 悲劇の intensity of her トン seemed to amuse Mr. Lennox, his smile broadened. "Only the ordinary gossip of the town about a lady so 井戸／弁護士席 known as Lady Carew," he replied lightly. "You know she is a society beauty, a famous person whose every movement is chronicled. There have been whispers of Lady Carew of late, that there is a lover in the background, but I should not speak of them to anybody but you, mademoiselle."

"And I never knew, I never dreamed that anyone had guessed." C駘estine clasped her small exquisitely covered 手渡すs tightly together and spoke with 劇の intensity. "All I know is that Miladi says she has a bad 頭痛, that she can not go to Lady Denborough's dinner, and that she sends me away, and afterwards when the house is 静かな she comes stealing 負かす／撃墜する the stairs and lets herself out like a mouse."

"Oh, you ladies—you ladies!" apostrophized Mr. Lennox. "It would take a clever man to be even with some of you, mademoiselle. So I suppose Lady Carew spent a pleasant evening with her lover, while poor Sir Anthony went to Lady Denborough's dinner alone, and made himself 哀れな all the evening, thinking that his wife was ill."

C駘estine did not answer for a minute; her carefully arched eyebrows were drawn together consideringly.

"No! Sir Anthony—he did not go to Lady Denborough's either!" she said slowly. "Though Miladi thought he would. He went out, somewhere, I do not know where. And he did not come 支援する till after Miladi had come 支援する, and then he （機の）カム in and shut his door with a bang—so." And C駘estine brought her two 手渡すs together smartly. "But when you speak of Miladi's lover, you make a mistake. Miladi may have secrets, but a lover, no, I do not think it. She loves Sir Anthony."

Mr. Lennox's 利益／興味 in the story was evidently only second to that he felt in C駘estine herself. "But if she is 会合 a man—outside," he said. "And all London says she is."

C駘estine shook her 長，率いる. "It is not a lover she 会合，会うs, monsieur. And I do not speak without 推論する／理由."

"推論する／理由," Mr. Lennox repeated thoughtfully. "But, mademoiselle, how can you know?"

C駘estine's 黒人／ボイコット 注目する，もくろむs looked important. "Ah, now, monsieur, you are asking more than I can tell. That is my little—what you call—secret."

一時期／支部 XVI

THE Dowager Lady Carew was giving a dinner-party at the Dower House. She had had her way now. Peggy's 約束／交戦 to Lord Chesterham, was 正式に 発表するd, and Sir Anthony had 孤立した all open 対立, though his 私的な opinion of his 未来 brother-in-法律 remained much the same. Stephen Crasster's 代表s had turned the 規模, for Crasster, putting his own feelings on one 味方する, had pleaded for Peggy's sake. But, although as Peggy's 後見人 he had given his formal 同意, Sir Anthony was looking distinctly sulky to-night. To his mind this dinner savoured of 勝利 on his stepmother's part.

From his seat at the 底（に届く） of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, he ちらりと見ることd 負かす／撃墜する at Chesterham, seated between Peggy and her mother. Peggy was looking radiant to-night. There could be no question that she was perfectly happy in her 約束／交戦, or believed herself to be so. She was wearing a gown of palest pink chiffon that 調和させるd perfectly with her delicate colouring; with the light in her soft brown 注目する，もくろむs, the glint of the gold in her curly hair. Chesterham was bending over her in the most lover-like fashion. As he watched him, Sir Anthony's brow 契約d afresh.

From the lovers, Sir Anthony's 注目する，もくろむs 逸脱するd involuntarily to his own wife, who was sitting almost すぐに opposite. Judith was wearing a wonderful gown, one of Renard's masterpieces. Stephen Crasster was lower 負かす／撃墜する on the same 味方する. Old General Wilson was opposite. The long dinner was 製図／抽選 to an end and the general was getting talkative, for the ワイン was 異常に good, having been sent 負かす／撃墜する from Heron's Carew cellars. The general's 発言する／表明する grew louder. "He （機の）カム over to sketch my bit of place, but I 辞退するd him 許可—told him I didn't want any of his sort 一連の会議、交渉／完成する me; I could hardly get rid of the beggar. He had been to Talgarth, he told me, and Heron's Carew."

"Talgarth," Stephen Crasster repeated. "Who are you speaking of, general?"

"That fellow that has been staying at the Carew 武器," the general repeated. There was a なぎ in the conversation 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, his 発言する／表明する sounded 異常に loud. "Barker, he called himself, and gave out that he was an artist. Been 一連の会議、交渉／完成する everywhere; wanting to make sketches. But he did not take me in; the fellow is no more an artist than I am."

"Not an artist?" Sir Anthony leaned 今後. "I think you must be mistaken, general. He took several sketches 一連の会議、交渉／完成する Heron's Carew."

"Did he really?" The general laughed until his mirth 脅すd to become apoplectic. "Don't know whether you will be so flattered by his attentions, Carew, when you hear what he is; he is a 私的な 探偵，刑事."

"A 探偵，刑事!" Stephen Crasster looked up quickly. A momentary sight of Lady Carew's 直面する caught his attention. It was not only that it had turned 絶対 white, but that it had a look of unmistakable 恐れる. Forgetful, he 星／主役にするd at her in surprise.

Chesterham leaned over the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する; for one instant Crasster fancied he 迎撃するd a ちらりと見ること of 警告, the next he told himself that he must be mistaken. Chesterham was speaking lightly.

"You remember the aquamarines you were speaking of the other day, Lady Carew; I have been fortunate enough to 選ぶ up some wonderful 見本／標本s. Peggy must show them to you after dinner."

"I must ask her."

Judith's 注目する，もくろむs met his for a moment. Then she pulled herself together and turned to her 権利-手渡す 隣人 with an 平易な question. Stephen told himself that of course he was mistaken.

For Judith, smiling and talking as she compelled herself to do, it was veritably a time of 拷問, a nightmare from which she rose with 救済 at her mother-in-法律's signal. But in the 製図／抽選-room she 耐えるd a perfect torment of 苦悩. What had the general meant about the 探偵，刑事 who was staying at the Carew 武器? If a 探偵，刑事 was staying in Carew Village, what was his 商売／仕事 in the neighbourhood? Was it—could it かもしれない be connected with the flat 殺人? Judith's cheeks blanched もう一度 as she asked herself the question.

Her mother-in-法律 drew her on to a 広大な／多数の／重要な roomy couch. "The child is so happy now that Anthony has given way," her 注目する，もくろむs growing wistful as she looked at her pretty, tall girl. "And it is nice to think she will be settled 近づく me."

"Yes!" Judith said slowly. She shuddered to think of Peggy as Chesterham's wife, in Chesterham's 力／強力にする, yet with a terrible cowardice she shrank from the only course that could save Peggy.

Lady Palmer crossed the room to them with her graceful, undulating step. "May I make a third on your delightful couch, Aunt Geraldine?" she asked the dowager with her melancholy smile.

The Dowager Lady Carew did not look やめる pleased as she made room for her. She had never altogether understood Sybil, or forgiven her her 株 in the past 難破させるing of Anthony's life.

Lady Palmer began by 申し込む／申し出ing profuse congratulations; then, gliding gracefully from the 支配する of the 約束／交戦, she turned to Judith. "It is such a 楽しみ to see you so fully 回復するd tonight, dear Judith; we were all so anxious about you on the day of the show."

"You are very 肉親，親類d." There was a faint touch of amusement in Judith's 注目する，もくろむs as she ちらりと見ることd at the （衆議院の）議長.

"One poor little girl was frightfully disappointed," Lady Palmer went on sweetly. "She had been looking 今後 to seeing you so much, an old friend of yours. I consoled her 同様に as I could, but I am afraid she 設立する me a very inefficient 代用品，人 for you."

Judith drew her level brows together in a puzzled fashion. "An old friend of 地雷? How unfortunate I should have 行方不明になるd her. But you are a little vague, aren't you, Sybil? You 港／避難所't told me her 指名する."

"Her 指名する was 行方不明になる Sophie Rankin!"

A soft little breath escaped from Judith. "Sophie Rankin. Ah! You mean my old pupil. How 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の that she should be at Wembley Show. And how sorry I am that I 行方不明になるd her. I used to be very fond of Sophie."

In spite of the fact that her トン was one of ordinary polite 利益／興味, that she met Lady Palmer's gaze smilingly, the latter had an instinct that in some way she was 近づくing that secret of the past that she had 始める，決める herself to discover.

As she paused before speaking again she could see that, as Judith waited, an 表現 of 存在 on guard settled on her 直面する, that her smile was 純粋に mechanical.

"Poor little girl! She seemed to have やめる a romantic attachment to you," Lady Palmer proceeded in soft purring トンs. "And I fancy you have ill requited it, Judith dear. She complained that you had never written to her since your marriage."

"Since my marriage. Oh, surely Sophie 誇張するs," Judith said 静かに, her 注目する，もくろむs turning to the door as the 発言する／表明するs of the men became audible outside.

With the 入り口 of the men Lady Palmer's 適切な時期 of 尋問 Judith had for the moment 出発／死d.

She turned to her cousin with a smile as he sat 負かす／撃墜する 近づく her. Nor did she manage to get 近づく Judith again that evening. Sir Anthony was 決定するd to leave 早期に, making his wife's 最近の it would have 伴う／関わるd. To-night, by some mistake, the carriage instead of the モーター （機の）カム for them. Sir Anthony frowned as he saw it; he 反対するd to his horses 存在 brought out at night. Yet as he took his seat beside his wife, as he felt her nearness in every pulse of his 存在, as the faint undefinable scent from the flowers she wore was wafted to him, he could have 設立する it in his heart to bless the mistake that had 長引かせるd their 運動 together.

He ちらりと見ることd sideways at Judith; in the 有望な summer moonlight it was possible to watch her 直面する almost as closely as in the daytime. He could see the pure pale profile, the droop of her eyelids, the exquisite curved lips that were quivering ever so わずかに.

Some subtle sense told Judith that he was moved. She turned her 直面する に向かって him, her breath quickened, she swayed nearer, her ungloved 手渡す touched his. Her husband's 武器 の近くにd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her like a 副／悪徳行為. "Judith!" he murmured, "Judith, my wife!"

Judith did not speak; she 残り／休憩（する）d motionless, silent in his clasp. By-and-bye two big 涙／ほころびs 軍隊d their way through her の近くにd lids, and trickled slowly 負かす／撃墜する her cheeks. It was rapture to her, after their long sad estrangement, to be once more in her husband's 武器, to know that for the time 存在, at all events, all that had divided them was forgotten and forgiven.

But all too soon, like most of the perfect things of earth, the 運動 was over, the carriage stopped at the door of Heron's Carew. As Anthony helped his wife out she saw that his 直面する was very pale, that there were dark （犯罪の）一味s 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his 注目する，もくろむs. He drew her into the morning-room and の近くにd the door, then standing on the 広大な／多数の／重要な white 耐える 肌 before the 解雇する／砲火／射撃-place, he took her 手渡すs in his. "Judith! Judith!" he questioned, his strong 発言する／表明する breaking in a 公式文書，認める of 控訴，上告. "You are 地雷; you care for me."

Judith's soft fingers held him tightly, her strange, beautiful 注目する，もくろむs met his. "You—you know, Anthony;" she murmured. "I love you."

Sir Anthony drew her to his breast.

Judith looked up at him, she touched his cheek with her 手渡す. "You are ill, Anthony! You are shivering, and yet your 手渡すs and 直面する are 燃やすing."

Sir Anthony's clasp 緩和するd a little. "I am all 権利, child, but I am worried. I wish I knew what to do for the best; this 約束／交戦 of Peggy's is all wrong like everything else. I feel I せねばならない have 妨げるd it, and yet what can I do? Peggy and her mother, and even Stephen Crasster, are all against me."

They were standing a little さらに先に apart now; involuntarily when he について言及するd Peggy's 約束／交戦, Judith shrank from him. Anthony's eyelids twitched as he noticed her movement.

"There was never a Chesterham of them all that was any good," he said 激しく. "The Chesterham 星／主役にする is a sure 調印する of the rottenness in their 血."

"The Chesterham 星／主役にする!" Judith repeated, her 発言する／表明する curiously lowered. "I don't understand what you mean. What is the Chesterham 星／主役にする, Anthony?"

Anthony's grey 注目する，もくろむs were moody now; the change in her 表現 had not escaped him. "A blue 示す something like a 星／主役にする," he answered slowly. "I saw it on this fellow's arm to-night. General Wilton asked him about it."

All the happy light had faded from Judith's 注目する，もくろむs, from her 直面する now; she was 星／主役にするing at her husband, a frozen horror 夜明けing in her gaze.

"A blue 示す like a 星／主役にする," she repeated. "Where did you say—on the arm?"

Her husband was looking at her curiously. "Of course. All the Chesterhams have it on the 権利 arm just above the wrist."

"Ah!" Judith drew a long ぱたぱたするing breath. The light in the room was growing very 薄暗い. She could see nothing, not even Anthony's 直面する. It could not be true—this monstrous thing that had entered her brain? The 不明瞭 was rising nearer, she swayed to one 味方する with a hoarse sob. Sir Anthony sprang 今後 in time to catch her in his 武器 before she sank in a dead swoon to the 床に打ち倒す.

一時期／支部 XVII

"AH, yes, 行方不明になる Peggy, she is a lucky girl!" C駘estine said reflectively. "Milord Chesterham is a 罰金 man—a very 罰金 man! And he have taste too! He is not like Sir Anthony, who looks at you as if you were 支持を得ようと努めるd—so! Milord Chesterham, he is always polite—very."

Mr. Lennox laughed. He was leaning over the stile that gave 接近 from the Heron's Carew footpath to the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd. "But who would not be polite to you, mademoiselle?"

C駘estine humped up one shoulder. "But lots of people, I 保証する you, monsieur. They are not all so agreeable—your compatriots."

"Are they not?" Mr. Lennox questioned. "I am sorry to hear that. But it is you that I want to be agreeable this afternoon, mademoiselle."

"Does Monsieur mean that usually I am disagreeable?"

C駘estine 需要・要求するd, ちらりと見ることing at him coquettishly.

Mr. Lennox 解除するd his 手渡すs in 抗議する. "You know that I think you are all that is most charming, mademoiselle. How can you pretend to misunderstand me? But to-day I want to show you—you remember I told you I was a collector?"

"But certainly, monsieur." C駘estine's 黒人／ボイコット 注目する，もくろむs watched his 直面する.

"井戸／弁護士席, latterly I have been getting together a few things that I think would 利益／興味 you. I want to show them to you, for I know you are an 専門家, and it strikes me that I have a collection of fans, 古代の and modern, that it would be hard to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域."

"Fans, monsieur." C駘estine looked eager. "But of course I shall be delighted."

"I have got them 負かす／撃墜する here," Mr. Lennox said, 示すing the Carew 武器 with a backward jerk of his 長，率いる. "Some of them are inset with jewels, some of them are made of ivory and rare old lace, one or two are painted. One in particular, said to have belonged to Marie Antoinette, has a pretty little scene by Watteau upon it."

"A—h! How I should like to see them." C駘estine's 注目する，もくろむs were sparkling. "I love fans. Miladi has some of the most superb. She too, had a Watteau painted one, but it is lost, 式のs!"

"Lost! That is a pity," Mr. Lennox said 静かに, though there was a gleam of 利益／興味 in his large blue 注目する，もくろむs. "井戸／弁護士席, mademoiselle, I should like to ask you whether it （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s 地雷, not that I can part with it even to 取って代わる Lady Carew's. How did she manage to lose it?"

C駘estine held up her 手渡すs. "Ma foi, but I do not know, monsieur! Truly such carelessness would be impossible to me. Miladi had it put to wear with her magnificent gown for Lady Denborough's; then, she did not go, but she 嘘（をつく） on the sofa and fan herself with it, that is the last I know. A day or two afterwards, when I am looking for it she tell me she has lost it."

"Nice piece of carelessness that," Mr. Lennox commented. "Mademoiselle, you will walk up to the Carew 武器 with me and look at my collection? I have got a 私的な room."

"Monsieur!" C駘estine gave a slight 叫び声をあげる. "But that would not be convenable—not at all! Even in your England a young lady cannot do that."

Mr. Lennox leaned a little さらに先に over the gate; his トン grew more persuasive.

"You know I would not ask you to do anything I would not like my own sister to do, mademoiselle. Why should you not walk up to the Carew 武器 with me? I have got a delightful little sitting-room looking upon the garden, or if you don't like to come into my room"—as C駘estine emitted another little shriek—"I dare say they would let us have the 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 parlour. You know Mrs. Curtis, don't you?"

"But a little," Mademoiselle answered, a trifle haughtily, shaking some dust from her skirts as she spoke.

"She has been like a mother to me," Mr. Lennox went on obtusely. "And she would get you some tea; no, not tea, coffee—real 大陸の coffee, mademoiselle. I have taught her how to make it myself, I tell you what, mademoiselle, I dare say she would let us have it out in the garden, and I might bring my fans out and show them to you in the summer-house. The most prudish person couldn't see any 害（を与える） in that, could they?"

C駘estine was inclined to think they could not. After a little more coquetting she 産する／生じるd the point.

The footpath to Carew village was a short 削減（する） from the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd. The Carew 武器 stood at the 近づく end of the village street, a big old-fashioned hostelry, 直面するing the village green on the one 味方する, with its large 井戸／弁護士席-在庫／株d garden on the other. Mr. Lennox, mindful of the proprieties, did not go in by the open door under the porch, but turned instead to the garden gate. The arbour stood at the 底（に届く） of the rough lawn, and thither Lennox and C駘estine made their way. Lennox busied himself carrying the 議長，司会を務めるs and （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する into the open.

"There now, mademoiselle, now you will be comfortable, while I go and see about the coffee," he said, as he dusted them with his handkerchief.

C駘estine seated herself with a simper. She felt that after this there could not be much 疑問s as to Mr. Lennox's 意向s as she watched him walk up the path. It was evident, too, that he was 井戸／弁護士席 off; the match would be a good one, and C駘estine lost herself in rosy 見通しs of the 未来.

Presently a smiling country maid appeared with the 約束d coffee, and Lennox followed, a large 木造の box in his 武器. "Just the cream of the collection, as it were, mademoiselle," he said, as he deposited it on the grass beside her. "I couldn't think of troubling you with the whole lot."

He did the honours of the coffee, and some small wafer-like 薄焼きパン／素焼陶器s he had 輸入するd from town, and C駘estine, feeling exceedingly comfortable, sank 支援する in her 議長，司会を務める and 許すd him to wait upon her.

But at last the alfresco meal was over, and Lennox turned 支援する to his fans. He 解除するd the box on to the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and opened it carefully.

C駘estine uttered a little cry of surprise as she saw the glitter of jewels on the 扱う of the first one; she bent over it carefully.

"But it is all that there is of the most beautiful, monsieur, it is superb! Miladi herself has nothing finer."

"Hasn't she really?" Lennox questioned as he went on raising the 層s of tissue paper.

"But, monsieur"—C駘estine leaned 今後 with a quick 動議 of surprise—"what is that you have in your 手渡す now—that painted one? It is 正確に like Miladi's, the one she lost that I was telling you about."

"It is a beauty anyway." Lennox was 持つ／拘留するing it in his 手渡す now, he was moving it backwards and 今後s. "I like it the best of them all myself."

C駘estine stood up and put out her 手渡す. "One moment, monsieur. Yes," turning to the ivory sticks, "it is the very same. It is indeed Miladi's fan that she lose—it is marvellous—extraordinaire! How did you come by it, monsieur?"

Lennox looked at her in 明らかな amazement. "It was brought to me by a 売買業者, a man who knows I am always on the look-out for such things. But about it 存在 Lady Carew's—I can't believe that, mademoiselle. You must have made a mistake."

"I have not," C駘estine 断言するd 前向きに／確かに. "See you here, monsieur, there are the Queen Marie Antoinette's 初期のs, in diamonds, do you see? And there beneath is a tiny diamond bee, which is of the most 最近の. Sir Anthony, he had that put there to show it is my lady's."

Mr. Lennox 星／主役にするd at the bee in the most obvious astonishment. "Are you sure, mademoiselle? That bee—but it is a most marvellous coincidence!"

"Most marvellous, monsieur!" C駘estine agreed, 新たな展開ing the fan about. "And yet I suppose it is not so, for if it were stolen the どろぼう would take it to a 売買業者. I 推定する／予想する Miladi would give a good 取引，協定 to get her fan 支援する, monsieur."

"She must not get it 支援する," Lennox returned with real alarm. "It is the gem of my collection, I would not part with it for untold gold. See you, mademoiselle, there is no need for you to say a word about it—it is just an 事故 that you 認めるd it. 約束 me that you will not について言及する it."

C駘estine 回転するd the 状況／情勢 速く in her own mind. After all it was as Mr. Lennox had said—it was pure 事故 that she had 認めるd the fan. Lady Carew was already reconciled to its loss. Moreover, the probability was that if she spoke of her 発見 she would 感情を害する／違反する Lennox and destroy those golden ch穰eaux en Espagne that she had been so busy building of late.

Her mind was made up; she flashed a captivating ちらりと見ること at Lennox, who was watching her, with more 苦悩 than seemed やめる necessary.

"Very 井戸／弁護士席, monsieur, I cannot say you no, it shall be as you wish. It shall be our little secret—yours and 地雷."

Lennox's smile and quick look of 救済 repaid her; he took out one of the fans not yet unfastened and 手渡すd it to her.

"If you will honour me by 受託するing it, mademoiselle."

C駘estine gave a gasp of delight as she 広げるd it and 公式文書，認めるd the exquisite carving of the ivory, the beautiful old lace.

"But you are too good, monsieur; it is too exquisite, too lovely for me."

"I don't think so!" Lennox said bluntly, laying the Marie Antoinette fan 支援する in the box.

The church clock chimed the hour. He looked up. "How the time has flown, to be sure!"

C駘estine started in 狼狽. "And I—miladi will be wanting me. You must be a magician, monsieur; you make me forget everything." She rose quickly.

Lennox fastened up his box and took it 支援する to the house, then he caught up the maid before she reached the gate.

They walked 支援する to the 支持を得ようと努めるd together, C駘estine keeping up a voluble conversation in her broken English, Lennox for the most part listening with a smile that showed him to be 井戸／弁護士席 満足させるd with his companion.

When they had parted, and he turned 支援する, he 設立する himself 直面するd by a tall 幅の広い-shouldered 人物／姿／数字 that seemed to rise up suddenly behind. A 深い 発言する／表明する said:

"井戸／弁護士席, 視察官."

"Lennox, if you please, Mr. Crasster, sir." He ちらりと見ることd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. "One never knows who may be within 審理，公聴会."

"Lady Carew's French maid, for example," Stephen said deliberately. "What do you imagine Mrs.—er—Lennox would say if she could see you now, my good friend?"

Mr. Lennox laughed sheepishly as he drew his 耐えるd through his fingers. "She has had to get used to it, sir, in the way of—"

"In the way of 商売／仕事," Crasster finished. "But surely that can't lead to Lady Carew's maid?"

Lennox coughed. "Not 直接／まっすぐに, sir; I can't say it does. But—井戸／弁護士席, it is a 事柄 I should like to 協議する you about if you could spare me a few minutes, say, to-morrow or the next day."

一時期／支部 XVIII

"HOW awfully good of you to come!" Lady Palmer went 今後 with outstretched 手渡すs. "I hardly dared to 推定する／予想する you, and yet there was no one else I could 控訴，上告 to, and I stood so sorely in need of help. What is a poor little woman like me to do with all the lawyers against one?"

Sir Anthony Carew took her 手渡すs in some 当惑. "Ah, 井戸／弁護士席, you know, Sybil, that anything I can do to help you—"

"You are always more than 肉親，親類d," Lady Palmer said gratefully as she sank into one of the big 平易な 議長，司会を務めるs by the window, and 動議d him to the other.

She had left the Wiltons rather suddenly in the end, 召喚するd up to town to a 会議／協議会 with her lawyers, and, since interviews seemed 必然的な, she had decided to take a 控訴 of rooms at the 皇室の Hotel for a week or two until 事柄s were more settled. An 緊急の 控訴，上告 from her for personal help had 同時に起こる／一致するd with a growing restlessness on Sir Anthony's part, and he had hurried up to town for a week-end, on the pretext of giving her counsel.

As he sat there, however, his thoughts were not with Lady Palmer, and the thousand and one 空気／公表するs and graces she was assuming for his 利益, they were 支援する at Heron's Carew with Judith.

He could not but be aware that, as far as anything she had yet 関係のある, there seemed but scant need for Sybil to have 召喚するd him to London, but she spoke as if an interview with her lawyer were imperative.

He had been there perhaps half an hour when the door of the outer room sprang open, and 発言する／表明するs became audible outside. Lady Palmer sprang to her feet.

"I told them that I was not at home, that I could not see anyone. Oh"—after listening a moment—"I had やめる forgotten. It is Charlotte. She did speak of coming in, and I did not stop her, for I knew it would be such a 楽しみ to her to see you again. And, really, she has such a 長，率いる for 商売／仕事—so unlike poor little me."

Surely never two sisters were more unlike, Mrs. Dawson was tall, sinuous-looking, with a complexion so dark as to 示唆する a mixture of foreign 血, and curious light 注目する，もくろむs that contrasted oddly with her 黒人／ボイコット hair and swarthy 肌.

She （機の）カム into the room now with her graceful languid 空気／公表する, and to Sir Anthony's annoyance he saw that she was followed by another 訪問者, a middle-老年の woman with a pleasant rosy 直面する, which somehow gave him a strange sense of familiarity.

Mrs. Dawson kissed her sister affectionately. "I have only a few minutes to spare, Sybil, for I am on my way to a 会合 at the St. Clery Nertells'. Mrs. Rankin is going with me, so I brought her in. You remember her, don't you? But who is this?" gazing at Sir Anthony with wide-open 注目する，もくろむs. "Not—surely not—Anthony Carew?"

"Am I so much altered?" Carew asked, smiling in spite of himself. "I should have known you anywhere, Charlotte."

"井戸／弁護士席, I don't know," Mrs. Dawson replied, sitting 負かす／撃墜する and looking at him. "You are older of course, we all are," with an 影響する／感情d little laugh. "But you look troubled, worried—your very 注目する，もくろむs are altered—anxious."

"An active imagination," Sir Anthony laughed. "What should I have to worry me?"

"Indeed, I don't know," Mrs. Dawson answered with a little sigh, as if giving up the 支配する. "You have everything a man can have, it seems to me—a beautiful home, a large income, a lovely wife. Oh, how strange that you should be here to-day, and that I should happen to bring Mrs. Rankin in."

"Why strange?" Sir Anthony 問い合わせd in his leisurely fashion.

Mrs. Dawson looked a little embarrassed.

"Oh, it is only that Mrs. Rankin is an old friend of your wife's. But perhaps I ought not to have spoken," as Sir Anthony looked surprised, and a decided shade of annoyance crossed Mrs. Rankin's pleasant 直面する.

"A friend of my wife's," Sir Anthony repeated in a puzzled トン, then his 直面する （疑いを）晴らすd. "Why, that is how it is your 直面する seemed familiar to me 直接／まっすぐに I saw it. I have seen your photograph in Judith's album. Of course; now I remember, my wife was with you before she （機の）カム to Heron's Carew, wasn't she?"

Mrs. Rankin's pleasant comely 直面する was still darkened by vexation. She made an obvious 成果／努力 to 答える／応じる to Sir Anthony's smile.

"Yes, Lady Carew was with us for two years; we were all exceedingly fond of her," she said, a 確かな reserve 明らかな in her トン.

"I am sure you must have been," Lady Palmer chimed in. "I 保証する you when your daughter 設立する that Lady Carew was ill; and unable to give away the prizes at the Wembley Show, she was so frightfully disappointed that I had hard work to console her."

"What?" Sir Anthony looked across in some surprise. "Is it possible that 行方不明になる Rankin was at Wembley Show? Why didn't she come over to Heron's Carew? I am sure my wife would have been delighted to see her."

"Silly child, so I told her," Lady Palmer agreed.

"Oh, Sophie was not in the neighbourhood very long," Mrs. Rankin said hurriedly. "She stayed for a few days at Marchfield Vicarage with the Canon's sister, but I know she had a good many 約束／交戦s. I dare say she had no time to get over to Heron's Carew, 肉親，親類d of you as it is to think of it, Sir Anthony. Another time perhaps—"

"Another time she must certainly come," Sir Anthony said decidedly. "You must let us know when she is in the neighbourhood, please, Mrs. Rankin."

"Thank you, you are very 肉親，親類d," Mrs. Rankin returned in a distinctly 非，不，無-committal トン.

"Oh, dear Mrs. Rankin, I don't think it was altogether want of time," Lady Palmer said plaintively. "I gathered from 行方不明になる Rankin that you had told her she was not to go to Heron's Carew unless Judith spoke to her first, or something of that sort. That was why the poor child was so disappointed not to see her at the show."

It did not escape Lady Palmer's 注目する，もくろむs that as she spoke one of Mrs. Rankin's 黒人／ボイコット-gloved 手渡すs suddenly 強化するd itself upon the arm of her 議長，司会を務める, that there was a 確かな momentary compression of her lips.

She did not answer for a moment then she looked at Sir Anthony, a lurking 影をつくる／尾行する in her blue 注目する，もくろむs, though her lips were smiling. "As you have said so much, Lady Palmer, I think I must explain. To tell the truth, though perhaps I ought not to say it, we have felt a little 傷つける, both Canon Rankin and myself, that Lady Carew has taken 絶対 no notice of us since her marriage. I would not have Sophie thrusting herself upon her, and therefore I told Mrs. May that, much as Sophie might wish it, I would rather she did not go over."

Sir Anthony looked embarrassed. "I am sure there is some mistake, probably a letter has miscarried, or Judith may have called, and your servants may have forgotten to tell you. In any 事例／患者 I am sure Judith would never forget her old friends; it would not be like her. I have always heard her speak of your family in 条件 of warm affection, and I am sure she will be delighted to hear I have met you, and will look 今後 to 新たにするing your 知識."

"You are very 肉親，親類d. I think myself it is probable that there is some mistake," Mrs. Rankin returned. There was a slight relaxing of her features, she drew a tiny breath of 救済, and put her handkerchief to her lips for a moment, as Sir Anthony turned to speak to Mrs. Dawson.

Lady Palmer crossed over and took the 議長，司会を務める next Mrs. Rankin, her soft 黒人／ボイコット gown 落ちるing in graceful 倍のs 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her わずかな／ほっそりした 人物／姿／数字. "I want your girl to dine with me one day this week," she began in her 甘い caressing トン. "I have a young cousin in town, and though of course I can't do any real entertaining just now I thought I might give the two a little dinner, and perhaps some music afterwards. Your girl sings, doesn't she?"

"In an amateurish way; still, it is useful in the parish いつかs," Mrs. Rankin replied.

Lady Palmer's 注目する，もくろむs watched her from beneath their lids. What was it the woman was afraid of, she asked herself. What brought that look of 存在 on the 防御の on her 直面する 直接／まっすぐに Judith's 指名する was について言及するd? Why did she turn pale and shiver when Sir Anthony was speaking to her?

She leaned 今後 a little in her 議長，司会を務める. "I am going to try and make 行方不明になる Rankin as fond of me as she is of my cousin, Lady Carew."

Mrs. Rankin's 直面する 強化するd 即時に. "It is exceedingly 肉親，親類d of you."

"Now which day can she come?" said Lady Palmer. "Let me see—Thursday or Friday will 控訴 me best. Which would she prefer, do you think?"

Mrs. Rankin shook her 長，率いる. "I am afraid neither day is possible. On Thursday we are all dining out, and on Friday she is having a friend from the country to spend the day with her."

Lady Palmer's 注目する，もくろむs 狭くするd. "Next week then. Of course I am not going out now, so I am comparatively 解放する／自由な. Which day shall we say?"

"Oh, next week?" Mrs. Rankin was sitting bolt upright now, her 手渡すs in their 黒人／ボイコット kid gloves were 倍のd in her （競技場の）トラック一周. "Next week," she went on, "Sophie will be away from home, I am sorry to say, Lady Palmer. She is going 負かす／撃墜する to stay with some cousins in the 小島 of Wight."

"I am so sorry," Lady Palmer said gently, as Mrs. Dawson rose, and Mrs. Rankin, with an 空気／公表する of 救済, followed her example. "井戸／弁護士席, I must hope to be more fortunate another time." She gave Mrs. Rankin one of her flashing smiles, as she spoke.

The smile was still ぐずぐず残る 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her lips when, Sir Anthony having 護衛するd the 訪問者s to their carriage, she lay 支援する in her 議長，司会を務める and を待つd his return. "So Sophie knows," she murmured beneath her breath. "Sophie knows at least enough to put me on the 跡をつける. Ah, 井戸／弁護士席! I think I shall manage to have an interview with Sophie before very long, and then Lady Carew may look out."

一時期／支部 XIX

"SO—so I am disappointed!" Peggy ended with a little shiver in her 発言する／表明する.

Stephen Crasster, walking by her 味方する 負かす／撃墜する the Dower House 運動, 始める，決める his teeth together for an instant before he turned and looked 負かす／撃墜する at her, his features relaxing.

"Why are you disappointed, Peggy?"

"I have told you," Peggy answered, her 注目する，もくろむs downcast, her 直面する looking mutinous. "I 手配中の，お尋ね者 you and Lorrimer to be friends—real friends!"

There was a smile in Stephen's 肉親，親類d 注目する，もくろむs as he ちらりと見ることd at the long upcurled 攻撃するs, at the pretty, wilful mouth.

"Won't you bring Lord Chesterham to lunch with me at Talgarth to-morrow?"

Peggy clapped her 手渡すs childishly, her small 直面する aglow, her vexation for the time 存在 forgotten.

"I should love to. I have been wanting to see what you have been doing at Talgarth so much. I thought it was so funny you didn't ask me."

"Did you?" Stephen questioned 静かに. "井戸／弁護士席, you must come to-morrow, Peggy, you and Chesterham. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 Talgarth to be in apple-pie order before you saw it. Certainly to-morrow you will have to make allowances."

"That will be ever so much more fun," Peggy returned rapturously. "I don't think I like places in apple-pie order. Oh!"—a rich blush mantling her cheeks, as a モーター turned in at the 宿泊する gates. "Why I believe this is—"

"So do I," returned Stephen with a whimsical half smile.

But she was looking at the モーター; her 注目する，もくろむs were smiling at the man in the driver's seat. She hardly heard Stephen's hurried 陳謝 for a leave-taking, hardly noticed that he had left her, striding off to the 味方する gate which was nearest to Carew village. Chesterham pulled up the car and jumped out.

"Will you come for a spin, sweetheart? What do you think of the car? Isn't she a beauty, goes like a bird—sixty miles an hour, when the police are not about."

Peggy laughed. "I should love a ride, Lorrimer; will you take me over to Talgarth to lunch to-morrow?"

"Talgarth!" His 直面する clouded over. "That is that fellow Crasster's place, isn't it? Why do you want to go there?"

"Because it is Stephen's place," Peggy said, with an uplifting of her brows. "Don't you realize that he is a 広大な／多数の／重要な friend of 地雷, Lorrimer?"

"Friend!" Chesterham laughed out, though his 注目する，もくろむs were glittering evilly. "I don't think friendship was 正確に／まさに the gift Mr. Stephen Crasster 手配中の，お尋ね者 from you, Peggy."

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him with big, startled 注目する，もくろむs, in which there lay a 肉親，親類d of wakening consciousness. "Stephen was my friend always."

"You were blind, child," Chesterham said with a touch of roughness that Peggy had never heard in his トン before. "The man is in love with you, it is 平易な to see that. And you belong to me, I cannot 許す this walking and talking with him."

He drew her arm through his and led her across the grass to the shrubbery, leaving the car to the chauffeur.

"You can't 許す me to talk to Stephen!" Peggy's 逃亡者／はかないもの colour was coming and going. Lorrimer was looking unlike himself to-day, she thought; he was 紅潮／摘発するd, his 注目する，もくろむs were 向こうずねing. "Don't you know that Stephen has been my friend all my life, Lorrimer? As for what you say it is nonsense—nonsense," 熱心に as if trying to 納得させる herself. "He is my friend."

"Ah, 井戸／弁護士席, I am going to be your friend in the 未来!" Chesterham said masterfully, gazing 負かす／撃墜する at her. They were out of sight of every one now, 審査するd from the house by the belt of rhododendrons that 国境d the shrubbery. He clipped his arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her and caught her to him with a sudden warmth that half alarmed the girl. "You are 地雷, and I cannot spare one little bit of you, one iota of your time or thought to Crasster!" he 宣言するd 熱心に, punctuating his words with hot, 熱烈な kisses.

Half 脅すd, wholly indignant at his roughness, Peggy managed to 解放する／自由な herself at last.

"How dare you?" she 需要・要求するd, her 直面する scarlet, 涙／ほころびs of 怒り／怒る and humiliation standing in her 注目する，もくろむs. "How dare you?"

"How dare I?" Chesterham laughed aloud. His bronzed 直面する had distinctly 深くするd in hue, his blue 注目する，もくろむs were gleaming oddly. "Do you think I am made of milk and water, like your friend Stephen Crasster? No! No! I am flesh and 血, Peggy, and you are most adorably pretty." He moved に向かって her as though to take her in his 武器 again.

Swift as 雷 Peggy eluded him, ran past him 負かす／撃墜する the path. She had never seen Chesterham やめる like this before. His words about Stephen Crasster had startled and shocked her; his kisses, his passion, had filled her with a sense of humiliation. In a 二塁打 sense he was 涙／ほころびing the 隠す from her 注目する，もくろむs.

When Chesterham, giving up his undignified 追跡, stepped 静かに into the 運動, she was scudding across the little stretch of lawn that lay between the shrubbery and the house. He shrugged his shoulders and his 直面する was 黒人／ボイコット with 怒り／怒る as he followed slowly.

一方／合間, Crasster, 吸収するd in meditations that were 非，不，無 of the pleasantest, was making his way 負かす／撃墜する the road to Carew village. At the 最高の，を越す of the street 近づく the Carew 武器, he nearly 衝突する／食い違うd with no いっそう少なく a person than Mr. Lennox.

"The very person I was wishing to see," he exclaimed as he stopped. "I was thinking of calling in at the Carew 武器. If you have nothing better to do this evening come in and have a taste of bachelor fare with me at Talgarth. I met with a curious 事例／患者 the other day that I should like to talk over with you."

Mr. Lennox paused. "You are very 肉親，親類d, sir. But;" with a 確かな hesitancy in his manner, "I am afraid that this evening it is impossible. I have an 約束／交戦—and, as a 事柄 of fact, I am 推定する／予想するing some important news."

Crasster looked disappointed. "I am sorry, I am getting tired of lonely evenings, I am going 支援する to town next week."

"I am sorry to hear that, sir." The 探偵，刑事 took 早い counsel with himself. "I was wishing to ask your advice about something, sir. If you have nothing to do this morning, maybe you would step into my rooms at the Carew 武器."

Crasster hesitated a moment, then he turned to Lennox. "I don't mind if I do. Although," he said, "it doesn't look as if I should be much help to you, Mr. Lennox."

"Oh, I think you will, sir," the other returned confidently as he led the way to his 私的な room at the Carew 武器.

The 探偵，刑事's room was a very pleasant one overlooking the garden, and with a 資本／首都 見解（をとる） of the arbour outside. Two high-支援するd 木造の arm-議長，司会を務めるs stood in the window, and Lennox drew one 今後.

Please to take a seat, sir. I know you have been wondering what brought me 負かす／撃墜する here, sir.

Crasster laughed. "井戸／弁護士席, I must 認める to a little natural curiosity. A 長引かせるd 住居 at the Carew 武器 seemed hardly in keeping with what one 推定する／予想するs of the best-known of modern 探偵，刑事s. One wouldn't 推定する／予想する to find any very 利益／興味ing 犯罪のs in Carew village."

"Perhaps not," the 探偵，刑事 said slowly. "And yet my stay here has distinctly 今後d me in my 調査 into one of the most mysterious of modern 悲劇s."

"Really?" Stephen looked up a trifle incredulous. "I must 自白する at times, 視察官, that I have been inclined to せいにする it to C駘estine's 有望な 注目する，もくろむs."

Mr. Lennox waved his 手渡す as if to 小衝突 the very suggestion aside. "Pish! C駘estine," he said lightly. "C駘estine has her uses, sir, but," looking Crasster 十分な in the 直面する with his keen frosty blue 注目する，もくろむs, "I （機の）カム here in 関係 with the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人, sir. You must have guessed that, knowing what you do."

"Impossible!" Stephen 星／主役にするd at him. "You don't mean that you placed any 依存—what in the world could Carew have to do with the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人?"

"Not much at first sight," the 探偵，刑事 returned 友好的に. "As a 事柄 of fact it wasn't so much what I 推定する／予想するd to discover at Carew village, but that it was a sort of centre. Still I may say that my stay has not been unproductive. I am glad I （機の）カム to the Carew 武器."

"You don't say so!" Stephen sat 支援する in his 議長，司会を務める and looked at him.

It was essentially a 平和的な and pleasant scene they looked upon through the open window, one that seemed far 除去するd from that horrible, sordid 罪，犯罪 in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flats. Yet, as he looked at the 視察官's 直面する, a terrible prevision of evil took 所有／入手 of Stephen, a certainty that the 影をつくる／尾行する of some frightful calamity overhung the 静かな village.

"What do you mean?" he said at last curtly.

The 視察官 did not answer for a moment, his 注目する，もくろむs 逸脱するd to a 木造の box that stood on the sideboard at the end of the room. At last, he said slowly:

"You may remember that nothing was ever discovered with regard to the 身元 of the man who called himself C. Warden—I mean no hint as to his past, no knowledge of his friends or where he （機の）カム from."

"I remember," said Stephen slowly. "That was one of the most baffling features of the 事例／患者. Not a 選び出す／独身 paper of his was to be 設立する. It looked as if he had deliberately destroyed everything that could give any 手がかり（を与える） to his 身元."

"Yes! either he had or his 殺害者 had," Mr. Lennox finished 意味ありげに. "井戸／弁護士席, sir, I don't say I have 設立する out who it was, or where he （機の）カム from; but it was because I thought the answer to those two questions might be 設立する in this neighbourhood that I （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する to the Carew 武器."

"The last place in the world where I would have thought you would be likely to 得る any help," Stephen said energetically; yet the 視察官 saw plainly enough that a shade passed over his 直面する as he heard the words. "Why, man alive, 港／避難所't you discovered that in a country place like this everybody knows everybody else and everybody else's 商売／仕事? There is no room for mysteries or unknown personages 負かす／撃墜する at Carew."

The 視察官 nodded. "I know what you mean, sir. But now let me tell you. I believe Lord Chesterham is a 広大な／多数の／重要な friend of yours, isn't he, Mr. Crasster?"

The suddenness of the question, of the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の change of topic, almost took Crasster's breath away.

"I know him of course. Yes, he is a friend," he answered, loyal to Peggy's 信用 in him: "But what possible connexion do you imagine he could have had with the—"

The 視察官 laughed a little. "Oh, I don't go so far as to imagine that he had any connexion with the 悲劇, sir. But my stay here is 間接に connected with him all the same. You may not have noticed the paragraphs that appeared in the papers when he 後継するd to the 肩書を与える?"

"I don't think I did," Stephen said uncertainly. He was watching the 視察官's 直面する. What in the world had all this to do with the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人? He could not make it out.

"I am sure I did not," he 追加するd more 前向きに／確かに.

"I always look through the papers pretty carefully myself," said the 視察官, "and 公式文書，認める anything special that strikes me. It often comes in useful. 井戸／弁護士席, sir, I had two 推論する／理由s for coming to Carew. The first one—井戸／弁護士席, that I may tell you later; the other I 設立する in those paragraphs relating to the succession to the Chesterham peerage. Several of them spoke of a blue 星／主役にする which was supposed to be the peculiar birth-示す of the Chesterham family, and which, of course, distinguishes the 現在の peer. Perhaps you didn't notice it, sir?"

"Certainly I didn't!" Stephen answered, a gleam of sudden comprehension lighting up his 注目する，もくろむs. "I don't even remember 審理，公聴会 of his succession at the time. But you don't mean that—"

"Just that." The 視察官 nodded. "I made 調査s and the Chesterham 星／主役にする is a blue 示す, on the arm, just above the wrist, 同一の in every 尊敬（する）・点 with the 示す you will remember seeing on the arm of the man who died in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flats."

"I remember," Stephen said slowly. "But it is 信じられない that—"

"It is almost 確かな to my mind that he was a member of the Chesterham family—either with the 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 悪意のある or さもなければ," the 視察官 went on, "though I 港／避難所't traced him yet. But, when I have, half the mystery surrounding the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人 will be （疑いを）晴らすd up, sir."

"But how—" Stephen began.

He was interrupted by a familiar ting-ting, from the other end of the room.

"The telephone," said the 視察官. "If you will excuse me one moment, sir, I am 推定する／予想するing an important message!"

一時期／支部 XX

CRASSTER waited while the 視察官 went over to the 令状ing-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する that stood at the other end of the room, and took 負かす／撃墜する the receiver.

"As I 推定する／予想するd—正確に／まさに. The man is 確かな —there can be no mistake. I must see him before we do any more—tell him to be at my office at Scotland Yard at six o'clock to-morrow." He rang off and 回復するd the receiver to its hook.

As he （機の）カム 支援する to Stephen at the window his 直面する was very 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. Stephen, ちらりと見ることing up, caught the 尋問 look and wondered.

"I am lost in amazement at finding a telephone at the Carew 武器, 視察官," he said lightly. "Who would have thought of anything so modern in this old-fashioned house?"

Lennox laughed. "It is a bit out of the ordinary, isn't it, sir? Mrs. Curtis explained to me when I （機の）カム about the rooms, that, as Sir Anthony was having the telephone put in at Heron's Carew, it was not a 事柄 of much difficulty to get it here, and I gratified her 大いに when I told her that it was my 栄冠を与えるing attraction to the Carew 武器. But for its 存在 here I should probably have gone to 私的な rooms somewhere in the neighbourhood. As a 支配する I prefer them; folks get to know いっそう少なく of your 商売／仕事."

"I don't fancy anyone gets to know much of your 商売／仕事 here," Crasster said, laughing in spite of himself. "I think the length of your stay is put 負かす／撃墜する 完全に to C駘estine's account. But about what you were telling me, 視察官: The 示す on that poor fellow's arm; I can't believe it is 同一の with the Chesterham blue 星／主役にする."

"Can't you, sir?" The 探偵，刑事 went 支援する to his （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and, 開始 a 事例／患者, （機の）カム 支援する with a paper in his 手渡す. "There is a 絵 I had done on the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, an exact copy of the 示す on C. Warden's arm."

Stephen took the paper in his 手渡す and looked at it closely. "Yes! 井戸／弁護士席, it certainly is like the description I have heard of the Chesterham 星／主役にする."

Lennox 手渡すd him another sheet. "This is a likeness of the Chesterham 星／主役にする, done from memory, by the nurse who …に出席するd the late Lord Chesterham in his 致命的な illness."

Crasster 熟考する／考慮するd the two in silence for a minute, then he 手渡すd them 支援する.

"Certainly they do look 同一の. But it seems to me 信じられない that C. Warden should be a member of the Chesterham family. かもしれない it is only a coincidence."

"Hardly probable," the 視察官 said dryly. "I have seen Lord Chesterham, sir, and I have been 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the hall and looked at the old family portraits, and I have come to the 結論 that the 殺人d man bore a 確かな resemblance to the Chesterham family. Not a striking one by any means, but still 十分な to be noticeable. Oh, I think there's no 疑問 the 手がかり（を与える） to C. Warden's 身元 is to be 設立する in this neighbourhood, Mr. Crasster."

Stephen 手渡すd him 支援する the two 製図／抽選s.

"井戸／弁護士席, have it your own way, 視察官. Only 認めるd that C. Warden was a left-手渡すd connexion of the Chesterhams, I 疑問 whether you will find anything about him here."

"井戸／弁護士席, I may or I may not," the 視察官 発言／述べるd oracularly. "In any 事例／患者 my stay here hasn't been 完全に unproductive. I told you I had another 推論する／理由 for coming 負かす／撃墜する, sir."

"Connected with the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人?" Crasster questioned, shading his 注目する，もくろむs with his 手渡す.

The 視察官 nodded. "You will remember the porter told us who he thought the lady he had taken up in the 解除する 似ているd."

"I remember," Crasster said すぐに. "絶対 absurd, as I said at the time." His 手渡す went to his chin and pulled it 今後 restlessly.

The 視察官 watched him closely, his keen little 注目する，もくろむs 場内取引員／株価 every movement. He did not speak for some minutes; it was evident he was 重さを計るing some course of 活動／戦闘. At last he looked up.

"Yet, but for that supposed 承認, we should have taken you into our counsel long before this, Mr. Crasster. You must have thought it strange you did not hear from me."

"I fancied that you did not think much of my talents as a 探偵，刑事," Stephen answered. "But what do you mean about this porter's 承認? You cannot surely imagine—"

The 視察官 got up and の近くにd the open window before he spoke. "I have had the man 負かす／撃墜する here, sir, there is no 疑問 about it."

"No 疑問 about it," Crasster echoed as he sat 支援する and 星／主役にするd at him. "What in the world do you mean?"

The 視察官 leaned 今後 and spoke almost in a whisper, ちらりと見ることing 一連の会議、交渉／完成する as if afraid that even the 塀で囲むs themselves should overhear his secret. "When Davis, the porter, told us that the lady he had taken up the 解除する into C. Warden's rooms was very like a 流行の／上流の beauty whom he had seen once or twice in the park, like you I was inclined to pooh-pooh the whole 商売／仕事. Then later on, when the 事件／事情／状勢 seemed to have grown more inexplicable than ever, my mind went 支援する to it, and I questioned Davis again. As a result I had him 負かす／撃墜する here; he has seen Lady Carew twice, and has no 疑問 at all as to her 身元. He says that he is 用意が出来ている to 断言する to it anywhere."

Crasster drew a long breath with a sharp inaudible exclamation. Then he waited, his keen, clean-shaven 直面する distinctly paler, his 注目する，もくろむs watching the 視察官's 直面する closely, his 手渡すs clasping the 武器 of his 議長，司会を務める.

Though at the 底（に届く） of his heart he had never cared for Lady Carew, though he had always been conscious of a 確かな latent antagonism に向かって her, the 視察官's words （機の）カム to him as a terrible shock. Anthony Carew was his dearest friend. To believe this horrible, this 信じられない thing, was to know that an abyss of horror and humiliation was 開始 before him. Peggy—ah! Crasster's heart failed him, he の近くにd his 注目する，もくろむs for a minute, as he thought of Peggy—how would she 耐える it, the shame and the terror and the 悲しみ? For that Peggy loved her sister-in-法律 very dearly, he knew 井戸／弁護士席.

"It is impossible," he exclaimed at last, springing to his feet, and beginning to pace up and 負かす／撃墜する the room. "Impossible, I tell you. Oh, Davis may be wrong, he may be lying; that Lady Carew should have had anything to do with that 悲劇 at Abbey 法廷，裁判所 is impossible, an 絶対の, physical impossibility."

The 視察官 did not move. His small blue 注目する，もくろむs had a gleam of sympathy as he looked across.

"The fan—you may remember a fan was 設立する in the room, Mr. Crasster."

"井戸／弁護士席?" Stephen questioned hoarsely.

"It has been identified as Lady Carew's by her maid."

"My God!" Stephen sat 負かす／撃墜する ひどく.

The 視察官 went over to the sideboard and （機の）カム 支援する with a tiny glass of liqueur in his 手渡す.

"Drink this, sir. It will pull you together. There is more for you to hear this morning and I want your help."

Crasster 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするd off the absinth; it had the more 影響 upon him as he was habitually abstemious.

"You I want my help," he repeated. "But I—good Lord, Lennox, I cannot help you! Don't you know that the Carews are my dearest friends?"

"You 港／避難所't heard all yet, sir," the 視察官 said slowly. "And we shall need wise 長，率いるs and （疑いを）晴らす brains before we see the end of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人, it strikes me."

Stephen leaned 今後, his 長，率いる on his 手渡すs, his 肘s on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.

"Is it possible there is more to hear?" he said with a groan. "井戸／弁護士席, let me know the worst, Lennox."

The 視察官 coughed. "You don't need to be told, sir, that we have had one or two little bits of 証拠 that, were not 許すd to 漏れる out at the 検死. They would not have enlightened the 陪審／陪審員団, and, through publicity 存在 given to them, the 殺害者 might have escaped."

Stephen nodded. "I know what you mean. Go on, 視察官."

"井戸／弁護士席, sir"—the 探偵，刑事 hesitated, and seemed at a loss to choose his words—"the policeman on point 義務 at the end of Leinster Avenue that night saw a man loitering about for some time outside the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flats—a man who was 明らかに waiting and watching for some one. Finally, he went inside and stayed some little time, then he （機の）カム 支援する again, and stood about a while. Of course, on the 直面する of it, there is nothing to connect him with the 殺人 in that. But, wait a minute, sir," as Stephen uttered a quick exclamation of surprise. "The ピストル that was 設立する in the room. You saw it, no 疑問."

"Of course I did. The doctor's 証拠 証明するd that Warden was 発射 with it."

"正確に／まさに," the 視察官 drew in his lips. "井戸／弁護士席, the finding of the owner of that ピストル has been no end of bother. In fact, I don't mind telling you, sir, that I look upon its 業績／成就 as a pretty かなりの feather in my cap."

"You have discovered that?" Stephen exclaimed quickly. "Why then—"

The 視察官 looked at him. "You heard my 召喚するs on the telephone just now? 井戸／弁護士席, that was to tell me that the 事件／事情／状勢 was finished. We have had some trouble first of all in finding the 製造者, secondly in tracing the shop at which it was bought, and lastly in identifying the purchaser, but to-day all three have been 首尾よく 遂行するd. The revolver was one of a pair in a 事例／患者 which was 供給（する）d to Sir Anthony Carew in June of last year."

"To Sir Anthony Carew." Stephen's 権利 手渡す clenched itself.

"To Sir Anthony Carew," the 視察官 repeated. "It was what I 推定する／予想するd to hear, sir. I had the constable I was telling you of 負かす／撃墜する here last week, and he identified Sir Anthony Carew as the man who stood about in the Leinster Avenue for so long, and, as I said before, entered the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flats and stayed some little time."

If Crasster's 直面する had been pale before it was 絶対 恐ろしい now. Judith Carew had been up to Warden's room, Anthony had been loitering about outside, the dead man had been 発射 with Anthony's ピストル. What did it mean? What could it mean, he asked himself? Not yet could he しっかり掴む the 十分な significance of those damning facts.

"What are you going to do?" he asked with 強化するing lips.

The 視察官 drew in his lips and, taking off his pince-nez, 明らかに 熟考する／考慮するd it carefully for a minute.

"That is where I want your help, sir."

A hoarse sound broke from Stephen. "Man alive! How can I help you? 港／避難所't I just told you that the Carews are my dearest friends?"

"That is why I asked you to help me," the 視察官 repeated. "Don't you see, sir, if it were 単に a question of 逮捕（する）ing Sir Anthony and Lady Carew, I should do that on my own 責任／義務? When I ask you to help me—"

Crasster 解除するd his 長，率いる, a gleam of hope 夜明けing in his 注目する，もくろむs.

"You mean—"

The 視察官 scratched his 長，率いる. "I don't 正確に／まさに know what I do mean, sir, and that is the plain truth of it. I never believed in instinct before, and the facts seem plain enough on the 直面する of them, but I can't bring myself to believe that either Sir Anthony or Lady Carew is 有罪の of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人. I may tell you that those in 当局 above me don't 株 this 見解（をとる）, and any day may bring orders for the 逮捕（する） of one or both. I am 持つ／拘留するing 支援する as long as I can, however, for I have the strongest feeling that some even darker mystery is behind the flat 悲劇. Now, it （機の）カム to me yesterday that I would ask your advice. You have helped me to solve many a knotty problem in the past; it seemed to me now that, if you were fighting to save your friends, you would be doubly keen."

Stephen's 長，率いる dropped again on his 手渡すs. にもかかわらず his lifelong friendship for Sir Anthony Carew, his thought now would 飛行機で行く to Peggy, with her innocent pride in her 約束／交戦, in her handsome lover.

"If I could see a （法などの）抜け穴," he groaned.

The 探偵，刑事 stepped 支援する, drew up a 議長，司会を務める so closely that it touched the arm of Crasster's, and sat 負かす／撃墜する.

"Suppose I tell you a 疑惑—not that—a vague thought that I have had いつかs, I wonder whether you will think me mad, sir?" He bent his 長，率いる 負かす／撃墜する to Crasster's and murmured a few words in his ear.

Their 影響 upon Stephen was magical. He sprang backwards and looked at the 視察官.

"Impossible! How could there be any connexion between the two?"

The 視察官 shrugged his shoulders. "I don't pretend to explain it, sir, yet. But that is the direction my 疑惑 takes."

"But it is madness—絶対の madness!" Stephen 繰り返し言うd, his 直面する still oddly white.

The 視察官 spread out his 手渡すs. "Then, Sir Anthony Carew—"

Stephen dropped 支援する in his 議長，司会を務める. "Heaven help me, 視察官, I don't know what to think."

一時期／支部 XXI

"IT is no use, I shall go up to town and have it out!" Lady Carew was standing in her dressing-room, her dark brows drawn together in an 表現 of 苦痛, her handkerchief held to her 直面する.

"O—h! But that would be a pity, when Miladi has such beautiful 正規の／正選手 teeth." C駘estine held up her 手渡すs. "If miladi would try a little more of the mixture perhaps it would relieve her now."

But Lady Carew shook her 長，率いる. "I am tired of all those messes, C駘estine; I can't stand any more of them. Look me out a train. I shall get up and see a dentist. You will find a Bradshaw in the library."

"But Miladi has courage," C駘estine 発言／述べるd as she left the room. "I would rather 適用する 治療（薬）s all the day than go to see the dentist—me. He give you too much 苦痛."

Left alone, Judith dropped the handkerchief from her 直面する and began to walk restlessly up and 負かす／撃墜する the room. "What else can I do?" she breathed. "And yet—and yet, if she should guess."

As if taking a sudden 決意／決議, she went out of the room and up the stairs to the nursery. Paul was just awake; he stretched out his 武器 to his mother, and as Judith took him, and he nestled his fair 長，率いる 負かす／撃墜する into the hollow of her neck, for a moment the 苦痛 at her heart was なぎd.

"It is for your sake, my little boy," she whispered, as she 圧力（をかける）d her lips to the soft gold 負かす／撃墜する on the 最高の，を越す of his 長，率いる. "For your sake, and your father's. For myself, what would it 事柄?"

"Ah, miladi, is it that the 苦痛 is better?" C駘estine stood in the doorway, her sharp 黒人／ボイコット 注目する，もくろむs regarding Lady Carew curiously. "There's a train up to town from Carew village at 11.30, miladi."

"Eleven-thirty!" Judith repeated. "That will do very 井戸／弁護士席. Tell them to bring the pony carriage 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, C駘estine. I will 運動 負かす／撃墜する."

"Yes, miladi." C駘estine waited while Judith went to the inner nursery and gave Paul 支援する to his nurse. "Shall we be coming home to-night, miladi, or do we spend the night in town?"

"Oh, I shall come 支援する to-night," Judith said quickly. "But I shall not take you, C駘estine. I shall have a taxi straight from the 駅／配置する to the dentist's and manage やめる 井戸／弁護士席 alone."

At the 駅／配置する, as Lady Carew got out of the carriage, a man on a bicycle （機の）カム 速く up and dismounted at the steps. When she took her ticket to London, he was just behind her. When Judith got out at St. Pancras the same man was の近くに behind her again and took the next taxi to hers.

But once in London Lady Carew's toothache 明らかに disappeared. The taxi rolled 速く 西方の, and passing 負かす／撃墜する Park 小道／航路 and by Hyde Park Corner, made its way to Chelsea.

As it drew nearer it became ますます obvious that Judith was exceedingly nervous. The taxi passed through the better streets, and finally （機の）カム to a stop before a quaint old-fashioned house standing a little 支援する from the road. Judith paid her cab and 解任するd it, then went up the steps, and rang the bell with fingers that trembled visibly.

"Is Mrs. Rankin at home?" she asked when a smiling, white-capped maid had answered the door.

"Yes, ma'am," the girl showed her into a pretty, unpretentious 製図／抽選-room.

Judith did not sit 負かす／撃墜する. She turned and waited, standing with her 直面する に向かって the open door, her 手渡す clutching at the small inlaid （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する at her 権利.

At last there was the sound of a door 開始. Judith's eyelids flickered わずかに, her 手渡す 強化するd its しっかり掴む.

Mrs. Rankin was coming slowly across the hall, obvious lagging 不本意 in every step. As she entered the room she looked at Judith with 冷淡な 非難するing 注目する，もくろむs. "So you have come at last, Lady Carew?"

"Yes, I have come," Judith assented quickly.

Mrs. Rankin had not 申し込む／申し出d her 手渡す; she had not 試みる／企てるd any sort of 迎える／歓迎するing, but as she spoke she turned and carefully の近くにd the door.

Judith did not appear to resent her manner, or to 推定する／予想する any other 肉親，親類d of welcome. "I had to come," she said, her breath catching her in the throat with a hoarse sob. "You saw Anthony the other day. Sophie was 負かす／撃墜する in our neighbourhood, I had to come to ask you. You will not tell Anthony—if he questions you—you—"

Mrs. Rankin cast one swift look at her 訪問者's agitated 直面する, then quickly ちらりと見ることd away again. "You may rely on me, as you have always relied on me for the past two years, Judith. Has not your very silence 証明するd your 信用? Or had you forgotten?"

"Ah, no!" Judith caught her breath with a sob. "I had not forgotten—how could I ever forget? But I was afraid. I—I knew you would say I was doing wrong."

"You might have 信用d me, Judith. It was not my place to 裁判官 another. I might have tried to 説得する you to be 勇敢に立ち向かう—to be true to yourself."

"Ah, yes," Judith cried with a 広大な／多数の／重要な sob that 脅すd to choke her. "I know you would. And I only 手配中の，お尋ね者 to be happy, to forget—if I could."

The pity in the other woman's 注目する，もくろむs grew and 強化するd.

"Happiness does not come that way, Judith."

"I know that, I know that!" cried Lady Carew recklessly. "Nothing comes but 悲惨—utter hopeless 悲惨." She thrust 支援する her golden hair from her brow; she held out her 手渡すs. "Do I look like a happy woman?" she 需要・要求するd. "I tell you that I am wretched, wretched."

Looking at her 悲劇の 直面する, beautiful even in its pallor, Mrs. Rankin could not 疑問 the truth of her words. The 年上の woman's 直面する 軟化するd involuntarily, she moved a step or two nearer, then she stopped before she reached her 訪問者.

"What does he—Sir Anthony—know of the past? What have you told him?"

Judith laughed drearily. "What should he know? Nothing, except that I was Sophie's governess. He has heard of 平和的な days in the old convent at Bruges before, that is all. He does not guess, how should he, at the blackness of the shame and the 悲惨 that 嘘（をつく） between."

Mrs. Rankin drew a 深い breath. "Ah, Judith, if you had only 信用d him—if you had only told him. Surely, surely he would have forgiven, he would at least have taken care that you were 安全な."

"That I was 安全な!" A sudden change swept over Judith's 直面する, the passion, the 苦痛 died out, leaving it white and rigid. "What do you mean?" she said hoarsely, speaking slowly with a little pause between each word. "What do you know?"

Mrs. Rankin's 直面する was white, too, now. She leaned across the little （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, her 発言する／表明する 沈むing to a whisper.

"I know nothing. But one night last spring we had a 訪問者." She paused and drew a handkerchief across her trembling lips.

"Yes!" said Judith, in a 厳しい, loud トン. "Yes! you had a 訪問者?" Her 注目する，もくろむs watched Mrs. Rankin's in a very anguish of dread. "You had a 訪問者, you say. Who was it?"

Again Mrs. Rankin ちらりと見ることd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, her 発言する／表明する dropped until it became almost inaudible.

"He—he called himself Charles Warden."

There was a long silence. Judith's 注目する，もくろむs wandered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the room, it was all so familiar, so homelike.

Mrs. Rankin's 発言する／表明する sounded a very 広大な／多数の／重要な way off when she began to speak again. Judith could hardly bring herself to …に出席する to it. What was she 説?

"He called himself Charles Warden, he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to know where you were to be 設立する. When we professed entire ignorance of your どの辺に, he told us that he had come into a large fortune, and that he meant to 株 it with you And he begged me if I should hear of you, if I could 解任する any 手がかり（を与える） that would help him in his search for you, to let him know at once at the—"

At last Judith brought her 注目する，もくろむs 支援する to the 直面する of the woman standing opposite. "Yes! Where were you to let him know?"

"At Abbey 法廷，裁判所, at—at No. 42," Mrs. Rankin whispered.

"Ah!" Judith slipped sideways from her 持つ／拘留する on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する on to the 議長，司会を務める behind.

Mrs. Rankin did not move; she went on speaking with stiff, pale lips.

"That was on Tuesday, and when I saw the papers on Thursday evening I—I was 脅すd. Judith, tell me, you do not know who was in the flat that night, who 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the 致命的な 発射?"

"I wish to Heaven I did."

The words and accent alike had the 軍隊 of 完全にする truthfulness. Mrs. Rankin's 直面する altered; the reserve, the hardness broke up, melted. She （機の）カム 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, she took both the ice-冷淡な 手渡すs in hers.

"許す me, Judith, if I 疑問d," she whispered. "I was 脅すd—terribly 脅すd! I know the awful 誘惑 it might have been. 許す me, child!"

Judith's 手渡すs lay listlessly in hers. "There is nothing to 許す!" she said dully. "You only 裁判官 as the world will 裁判官 when it hears the story of that night. And something tells me the time is 製図／抽選 very 近づく now."

The grey 影をつくる／尾行する was stealing over Mrs. Rankin's 直面する again, now her clasp of the 冷淡な 手渡すs 緩和するd.

"What do you mean, Judith; you were not there, child? You do not know who the woman in the flat was?"

Judith drew herself slowly from the encircling 武器, she 解放する／自由なd her 手渡すs.

"I was the woman the papers spoke of. Yes, you were やめる 権利 when you thought so," she said slowly. "I was at the flat in Abbey 法廷，裁判所 that night, but I did not kill Cyril Stanmore. I do not know who did."

"Judith!" Mrs. Rankin's cry was 十分な of horror—horror that changed to pity as she looked at the white worn 直面する, at the 熱烈な pathetic 注目する，もくろむs.

"Yes, I am the woman the papers speak about, the woman the police are looking for," Judith went on in low, monotonous トンs. "What do you think it feels like, Mrs. Rankin, to know you are 存在 追跡（する）d, 跡をつけるd 負かす／撃墜する, that every day your doom is growing closer, a little more 確かな ? I wonder what it feels like to be hanged, if it 傷つけるs one much?" in a curiously impersonal トン.

"Hush! hush! I can't stand it, Judith!" Mrs. Rankin cried, in トンs of 熱烈な 苦痛. "You did not 傷つける Cyril Stanmore; 港／避難所't you just told me so? You could 証明する your innocence."

"I couldn't," Judith 否定するd dully. "I was there in the dark, when somebody 発射 him, but I didn't see—I didn't know."

Something in the slow colourless 発言する／表明する seemed to strike a 熱烈な chord of pity in the 年上の woman's heart. She laid her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する Judith again. "Tell me all about it, Judith!"

And Judith feeling the help of the womanly sympathy that had never failed her in her need before, in a few 滞るing 宣告，判決s told her the story of that terrible night.

Mrs. Rankin's 武器 never relaxed their 持つ／拘留する. When the last words of the bald recital of terrible facts was said, a little ぱたぱたするing sigh escaped her. Judith, looking up, saw the kindly 直面する was as white as death, the 注目する，もくろむs looking 負かす／撃墜する at her held a 広大な／多数の／重要な dread, an infinite pity.

"My child! my child!" Mrs. Rankin said brokenly. "What a terrible 絡まる you have 伴う／関わるd yourself in. What can we do to help you, Judith?"

Judith stirred restlessly. "There isn't anything to be done but to wait—for the end—till the blow 落ちるs," she said drearily. "But you won't help it on, you won't tell them what you know?"

"Never, never, Judith!" Mrs. Rankin lowered her 発言する／表明する. "I suppose it isn't possible—it couldn't be that Lady Palmer 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うs? She has taken to coming here. Mrs. Dawson, her sister, lives in the parish, and Lady Palmer seems 前向きに／確かに to haunt me. She often asks me about you, and いつかs I have fancied that she is trying to find out."

"I dare say." Judith caught her breath with a bitter laugh. "Probably she is in league with the police. I know she hates me; I have felt it all along. She would do me any 害（を与える） she could. She loved Anthony, you know, years ago, and he—he loved her. If I were out of the way they would be happy together."

"I don't think so," Mrs. Rankin said gently. "Your husband loves you, Judith. I have only seen him once, but I am sure of that, and he is an honourable, upright man. There is only one thing for you to do now."

Judith's slight form grew rigid. "And that?"

"Go to Sir Anthony," Mrs. Rankin said in a 会社／堅い, decided 発言する／表明する, though her 注目する，もくろむs looked 脅すd, "tell him everything from the very beginning as you have told me. He would believe you, and he would help you as no one else can. 約束 me you will do this. You will go to him, Judith."

"Never!" Judith 始める，決める her teeth. "Rather than do that, rather than Anthony should know, I would kill myself!" she 宣言するd passionately.

一時期／支部 XXII

"I THOUGHT was never going to see you again, Peggy."

"Did you?" The girl was walking with a slow listless step through the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd.

Peggy had altered curiously of late, her spirits had become capricious and variable, she was noticeably thinner and paler. She 紅潮／摘発するd hotly now as she heard Stephen Crasster's 発言する／表明する behind her. Since the day when Chesterham had so rudely torn the 隠す from her 注目する，もくろむs, she had 避けるd her old friend as much as possible. To-day, for the first time, she 設立する herself alone with him.

"And it seems to me that our lunch at Talgarth is never coming off," Stephen went on lightly. "You are always engaged."

"Yes." Peggy's 発言する／表明する sounded muffled as she turned her 直面する away. "Yes, it is very unfortunate. I was very much disappointed. It is so 肉親，親類d of you to ask me."

"肉親，親類d to myself," Crasster smiled. "You might take pity on my loneliness, Peggy; more 特に as my time for giving 招待s to Talgarth is getting short."

"What do you mean?" Peggy turned a startled 直面する upon him.

Stephen did not answer for a moment.

"The Annesley 区s have always had a fancy for Talgarth," he said slowly at last. "I am going to let it to them, with the 選択 of buying it at the end of the year."

"You are going to let Talgarth?" Peggy repeated in トンs of びっくり仰天. "Oh, Stephen, we thought you had come to settle 負かす／撃墜する の中で us."

"So did I at first," Stephen assented. "But I am beginning to fancy I am a bit of a rolling 石／投石する, Peggy. And, in any 事例／患者, if I went on with my profession I shouldn't have much time for Talgarth. It is no use keeping on a big house like that for one man."

"It isn't so very big," Peggy said wistfully. "And why do you say 'if I went on with my profession,' Stephen?"

"Why, because—" Crasster hesitated a moment and bit his lip. "The fact is that since I have come into money, as the country folk say, I suppose I am getting lazy. I feel I should like to see rather more of the world. There is an 探検隊／遠征隊 starting for Central Africa in a couple of months' time, and I have a chance of going with it, if I like."

"But you wouldn't, Stephen." Peggy exclaimed in startled トンs.

"I think I must, Peggy."

The girl winked 支援する her rising 涙／ほころびs. "I don't see why."

Stephen ちらりと見ることd at her half-回避するd cheek, at the long upcurled 攻撃するs, at the mouth that trembled as she spoke. It took all his manhood's strength of will to 抑制する the words that would have torn the last 痕跡 of 疑問 from Peggy's mind, to keep up the light jesting トン that had become habitual to him of late when he was speaking to Peggy.

"I think everything is changing," the girl went on, her 発言する／表明する quivering. "And I—I like things to stop always the same."

Stephen's smile held more of sadness than of mirth. "Change is the 法律 of this world, little Peggy. 港／避難所't you learnt that, child?"

There was silence for a minute, broken by a hoarse sob in Peggy's throat.

"I せねばならない have," she flashed out suddenly. "Anthony has changed, so has Judith. I should not know either of them now, and you have altered, and—and Lorrimer." She dropped her 発言する／表明する as she spoke her lover's 指名する.

"Surely he has not changed!" Stephen was half laughing as he spoke, but his 注目する，もくろむs showed a keen 苦悩. "Or, if so, it is only for the better!" he 結論するd jestingly.

Peggy did not look 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, she shivered a little.

"Oh, he is only like everybody else. I suppose you will tell me I must get used to it."

"I, at least, shall never change in one way," Stephen said 厳粛に. "I shall always be your friend, Peggy."

"Oh, you say so now," the girl answered pettishly, still keeping her 直面する turned away. "But a friend isn't much good to one, if he is at the other end of the world."

"I would come from the other end of the world to serve you," Stephen 宣言するd hoarsely. "You know that. Don't make it too hard for me."

"I should like to make things so hard for you that you couldn't go at all," Peggy retorted with some of her old spirit. "Tell the Annesley 区s they can't have Talgarth; keep it for yourself!"

"I can't, Peggy. Don't ask me."

Peggy took one swift ちらりと見ること at his 直面する, then looked away, her own cheeks paling. But she did not speak, and they walked on in silence, past the Heron's moat, with its 巨大（な） bulrushes, and its glory of golden kingcups, to the Dower House.

The Dowager Lady Carew was sitting out on the lawn. At sight of the two 人物／姿／数字s beside her, Peggy's 直面する altered curiously, her footsteps 滞るd, she ちらりと見ることd behind as though she would willingly have turned 支援する. But it was too late; already she had been seen, and Chesterham was coming to 会合，会う them.

"I didn't 推定する／予想する you to-day," Peggy said as he 迎える／歓迎するd them. "I thought you were in London."

"Did you? That isn't a very warm 迎える／歓迎するing, Peggy. I 設立する my 商売／仕事 could wait awhile," Chesterham said carelessly, as he took 所有／入手 of her, and he and Crasster 交流d a curt nod. "Your brother and I have been having a 商売／仕事 talk, and now Lady Carew has asked me to stay to lunch."

They all walked 支援する together to the weeping willow, where the Dowager Lady Carew had 設立するd herself, her stepson beside her. He looked up as they approached.

"What is this I hear about your letting Talgarth, Crasster?"

"I don't know what you may have heard," Stephen laughed. "But I am going to let it to the Annesley 区s."

Sir Anthony looked at him. "I thought you had come here to be 近づく your friends. We looked upon you as a 永久の 隣人."

"You are very 肉親，親類d, all of you," Stephen 答える／応じるd, speaking with 明らかな carelessness. "But I find that I am lost without my work, and it is better to wear out than rust out, Anthony. However, it is possible there may be a hitch yet; the 区s may draw 支援する."

"I hope they will," Sir Anthony said heartily. "We can't afford to spare you, Stephen, things have gone crookedly enough of late, goodness knows, without that." His 注目する，もくろむs went across to his 未来 brother-in-法律, who was standing by Peggy's 味方する a few paces away.

Sir Anthony frowned as he noticed the girl's freshness and innocence, the man's coarseness, his 示すs of evil living.

"Chesterham," he called out suddenly, "I hope it isn't true you have given the Westerburys notice to leave the Home Farm, and that you are letting it to Hiram 物陰／風下."

"Oh, yes." Chesterham 影響する／感情d to laugh, though there was a gleam in his 注目する，もくろむ that betokened anything but amusement. "I may put Hiram 物陰／風下 in to manage it. I think I shall until I see how things turn out. Hiram has come into some money from a distant 親族 lately; he has turned over a new leaf."

"He has need," Sir Anthony said 意味ありげに. "They are a bad lot, those 物陰／風下s, Chesterham. I am sorry to hear they are favourites of yours."

Chesterham darted a swift look at him, frowning the while. "I don't know that they can be called 正確に／まさに favourites of 地雷," he said すぐに, "but I don't forget old friends. And I used to spend a good 取引，協定 of my time here when I was a child, Sir Anthony, a fact that has probably escaped your memory."

"No, I remember you 井戸／弁護士席 enough," Sir Anthony 否定するd. "But I don't know where the 物陰／風下s （機の）カム in."

"You wouldn't," Chesterham said gently, "but I had rather a bad time of it at Chesterham in those days. I was only a bit of a boy, you know," he continued in his slow drawling トンs, "and my grandmother was dead, so my grandfather turned me more or いっそう少なく over to the servants' care. My happiest days were spent at the 物陰／風下s' cottage, playing with old Betty's grandson, Ronald. Hiram, he was a stripling then, was very good to both of us, to me and the boy Ronald. Even if the 物陰／風下s have managed to 落ちる into disrepute with the good folk of the neighbourhood, I can't やめる forget them. You wouldn't wish me to, would you, Peggy?" raising his 発言する／表明する as his fianc馥 sprang from her seat on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and （機の）カム に向かって them.

"Wouldn't wish you to forget the 物陰／風下s?" Peggy repeated doubtfully. "N—o, I suppose not. Not if they were really good to you, Lorrimer. But I don't like them. That old Betty 物陰／風下 always 脅すs me, I shouldn't care to see much of her myself. She looks a dreadful old woman, I think. But don't let us talk of her or any more of the 物陰／風下s; I want some tennis, Stephen, and I will take you and Lorrimer, Anthony."

"It is much too hot to play," Sir Anthony 不平（をいう）d.

But as usual Peggy had her way. She had the first service. As Stephen stood opposite to Chesterham, and the latter raised his arm to take the ball, Stephen for the first time caught sight of the Chesterham 星／主役にする just above the wrist. It was, as Lennox had said, almost 同一の with the 示す which Crasster himself had seen in the very same place on the arm of the man who died in the flat.

一時期／支部 XXIII

"NOW you understand what you have to do, Germain." Mr. Lennox's トン was 会社／堅い and 決定的な.

Opposite to him there stood Superintendent Germain, of the 地元の constabulary; the third member of the little group was Mr. Lennox's quondam friend, Mr. Barker.

Superintendent Germain evidently 設立する himself in a quandary. "I think I understand, sir; but I can't say I like the 職業, and if his lordship should take it amiss—"

"We will 耐える you guiltless," Lennox finished. "But, if you carry out my 指示／教授／教育s 適切に, there is no 見込み of your 存在 非難するd by anybody."

"井戸／弁護士席, I will do my best, sir," the superintendent said unwillingly. "Though I can't see what is meant by it."

Lennox laughed. "I will tell you all about it in a day or two, superintendent. Now, you understand, Sir Anthony 存在 away from home, you have come to Lord Chesterham as the nearest 治安判事 to 適用する for a 令状 for the 逮捕（する） of Peter Wilkins, on a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 得るing money by 誤った pretences. Mr. Barker and myself have …を伴ってd you to make our affidavits before him. The 残り／休憩（する） I will manage. Now, is that plain sailing?"

"Plain enough," the superintendent 不平（をいう）d. "I will do my best, sir."

"And no man could do more," Mr. Lennox finished cheerfully. "Now, superintendent, here is our dogcart, jump in."

When at last they （機の）カム in sight of Chesterham Hall, Lennox roused himself and ちらりと見ることd about from 味方する to 味方する with evident 利益／興味.

"Pretty place," he said approvingly. "I don't wonder Lord Chesterham prefers it to his 城 in the Highlands. That will be the Home Farm we see over there, I suppose, Mr. Germain?"

The superintendent nodded. "His Lordship will soon find he has made a mistake in getting rid of decent tenants like the Westerburys and putting in those good-for-nothing 物陰／風下s, I fancy."

"Ay! It is a funny notion of his, that," Lennox 観察するd thoughtfully.

"When his lordship was here, a bit of a boy in his grandfather's lifetime, he used to run in and out playing with the old woman's grandson, Ronald, and it seems he has a good memory."

"Ronald!" Mr. Lennox repeated thoughtfully. "That isn't the man that is going into the Home Farm, is it?"

The superintendent shook his 長，率いる. "No, no! That is Ronald's uncle, Hiram 物陰／風下. Old Mrs. 物陰／風下 had one daughter; she was in service at the Hall, and she had one boy. The old Lord Chesterham was a very bad lot; it is said he knew something about young Ronald's 血統／生まれ. Be that as it may, young Ronald grew up a 罰金 upstanding boy. I remember him 井戸／弁護士席. When I was a lad we were at school together, but he ran away from home, Ronald did; he was mad on 存在 a sailor, and the end of that was he was 溺死するd on his first voyage. So there is only Hiram and the old lady left.

"I see." Mr. Lennox was looking up at the Hall as they approached. It was a 罰金 red brick mansion of the Queen Anne period; below it the grounds slanted 負かす／撃墜する to the lake.

Lord Chesterham was at home, they were told, and, explaining their errand, the three men were shown into a small room on the ground 床に打ち倒す, evidently used for the 処理／取引 of 商売／仕事.

Chesterham （機の）カム to them without 延期する. "井戸／弁護士席, superintendent, what can I do for you?" he 問い合わせd.

The superintendent explained. A 令状 for the 逮捕（する） of one Peter Wilkins was needed, and as Sir Anthony Carew was out they thought it best to come on to Chesterham Hall. Chesterham laughed.

"井戸／弁護士席, they have put me on the （法廷の）裁判, I know, but I am not very 専門家 at my new 義務s yet. You will have to tell me what to do, superintendent; I have the forms here."

He 打ち明けるd a drawer and drew them out. The superintendent leaned over and showed him how to fill up the 空いている spaces, the other two men watching interestedly.

Mr. Lennox put his 手渡す in his pocket and drew out a fountain pen.

"I brought this for the affidavits. I never can 令状 except with my own pen," he 観察するd to Barker confidentially.

As he spoke he tried to take off the 最高の，を越す, but 明らかに it stuck. He tried again, using 軍隊, and suddenly the whole thing 分裂（する） in his 手渡す. The 署名／調印する flew out, spattered his 直面する, flowed out in a murky stream on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, on the 令状, to which Lord Chesterham was just affixing his 署名, on to his 手渡すs. He looked up with an 表現 of annoyance.

"I beg ten thousand 容赦s. I cannot say how sorry I am. If your lordship will 許す me." Lennox caught up a sheet of blotting-paper.

Lord Chesterham took it from him but it was too late to stay the mischief. Superintendent Germain turned for a new form; Chesterham crumpled the 令状 up and threw it aside. He rubbed his fingers on the blotting-paper and then, rolling it into a ball, 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするd it into the waste-paper basket.

"I am sorry, my lord," Mr. Lennox went on わびるing profusely.

Lord Chesterham did not look 特に gracious. "I suppose you couldn't help it," he said すぐに. "We shall have to have another form, superintendent."

"I am afraid so, sir."

While the superintendent and Lord Chesterham bent over the new form Mr. Lennox 静かに walked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and 安全な・保証するd two balls of paper from the wastepaper-basket. He slipped them into his pocket with a 満足させるd smile, as he （機の）カム 支援する to affix his 署名 to the affidavit.

The 残り／休憩（する） of the 商売／仕事 was soon over and they took their leave, Mr. Lennox's quick 注目する，もくろむ moving 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the hall as they were shown through.

"Very 井戸／弁護士席 done, Mr. Germain; very 井戸／弁護士席 done indeed," he said genially as they drove off. "Couldn't have been better."

"I am glad you are 満足させるd, sir," the superintendent replied 静かに.

Mr. Lennox's first 訴訟／進行 on reaching his room at the Carew 武器 was to take out the papers he had 抽出するd from Lord Chesterham's waste-paper-basket and spread them on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. Then, with a look of grim satisfaction, he laid them in a drawer.

He locked it and was turning away when his 注目する，もくろむ was caught by a 見通し sailing up the garden path. C駘estine, to wit, attired in all the glory of her holiday attire. With an exclamation of surprise the 視察官 went 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to the door.

Seeing him, C駘estine bridled coyly. "See you, Mr. Lennox this is not convenable!" she exclaimed as he went to 会合，会う her. "But I could not that you should hear my story from anyone else."

"Your story!" the 視察官 repeated. "But what is it, mademoiselle? Come in, come in! You know I stand your friend whatever happens."

C駘estine looked 負かす／撃墜する and did her best to blush. "But that is what I hoped, monsieur. But I will not come in. If monsieur has but the time to spare, there is the arbour where we talked the other day. If we sat there but for five minutes it is not possible that anybody could 反対する. Is it not so, monsieur?"

"The most censorious minded couldn't see any 害（を与える）," the 視察官 agreed cheerfully as he caught up his hat. "I hope you are not in trouble, mademoiselle."

C駘estine clasped her 手渡すs as she sank on the rustic seat. "The worst of trouble, monsieur, I have been 侮辱d. That Sir Anthony."

A curious 表現 構内／化合物d of mingled annoyance and amusement had crossed the 視察官's 直面する as she began. It changed to one of 利益／興味 now.

"Sir Anthony!" he repeated. "But surely he has not 侮辱d you, mademoiselle."

"But—yes," C駘estine 確認するd, nodding her 長，率いる. "人物／姿／数字 to yourself, monsieur, I am trying to find some old things of miladi's that are mislaid. I think perhaps they are in the morning-room, and I go and search in the drawers there, and while I am looking Sir Anthony comes in. He says that I am poking, 調査するing. Then when I 否定するd it he says that I am dishonest, because I have with me one little brooch of brilliants of miladi's, which she has lost for a long time, and which I have just 設立する. He call me どろぼう. He says he will send for the police, have my boxes searched. I 解除する up my 長，率いる. 'You can send for your police, Sir Anthony,' I say to him, 'and you can search my boxes, I leave them with you. But I myself, I go out of your house at once. I will not stay in it for one minute to be 侮辱d, me.'"

"I admire your spirit, I am sure, mademoiselle," the 視察官 答える／応じるd, lowering himself to the 議長，司会を務める beside her.

Notwithstanding his commendatory words, however, his countenance was both perturbed and perplexed as he ちらりと見ることd across at the maid.

"And now—" he 誘発するd.

C駘estine was too much 吸収するd in her own story to 公式文書，認める the obvious 当惑 in his 直面する. "Now," she said, "I stay with Mrs. Varnham. She have a farm on Milord Chesterham's 所有物／資産／財産, and I—I take my 復讐. You understand?"

Lennox looked at her. "No," he said bluntly, "I don't know what you mean, mademoiselle. How can you 復讐 yourself?"

C駘estine looked wise. "That is my 商売／仕事, monsieur. I shall have my 復讐, and there are two or three people who will help me to get it, look you; I know one leetle secret of miladi's, just one," 持つ／拘留するing up her finger. "But it is enough to give me my 復讐. There are those who would give me good English gold to know that secret—Miladi Palmer, she would 支払う／賃金 me 井戸／弁護士席, for she do not love miladi. And there is somebody else too, but I do not go to them, I wait now—I wait until Sir Anthony send for the police, until he have my boxes searched, and then—then I go up to Heron's Carew once more, and I say 'Ah! you think it one very 罰金 thing, Sir Anthony, to 始める，決める the police upon poor C駘estine, do you not. How if I have a secret—I—that will put the police on to miladi, your wife?' How would Sir Anthony look then?"

Undoubtedly Mr. Lennox was 熱心に 利益／興味d now. "He would look pretty much of a fool, I should think, mademoiselle. But how would it be possible for you to put the police on miladi's 跡をつける. I can't see?"

"Ah! But I see," and C駘estine nodded wisely. "And I do not speak without what you call the 調書をとる／予約する. I have a proof of every word that I shall say to him."

"Have you really?" Mr. Lennox leaned 今後 to look into her 直面する. "And is it something that puts miladi in the 力／強力にする of the police. You must be very sure of your ground before you speak, you know, mademoiselle."

C駘estine laughed. "Oh, but I am sure, and it is something that the police are but now looking for—something that they will give a 広大な／多数の／重要な price to know."

There was no mistaking Mr. Lennox's 利益／興味 now; his breath quickened. "I tell you what, mademoiselle, it seems to me that this is a 事例／患者 that needs careful 扱うing. It won't do for you to go to Heron's Carew, yourself."

"But I tell you that that will be my 復讐," C駘estine 繰り返し言うd.

"Suppose Sir Anthony gets the first look in," Lennox 示唆するd. "Suppose he has the police at Heron's Carew, and before you have time to speak he gives you in 保護／拘留, on some trumped-up 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of course. He might, you know, mademoiselle, and you wouldn't enjoy that, to think nothing of what I and your other friends would feel if we saw you marched 負かす／撃墜する the village street by the police like a ありふれた どろぼう. No 復讐 you could take would （不足などを）補う to us for that, mademoiselle."

C駘estine hesitated, her change of countenance showed that the prospect was an alarming one.

"But what can I do then?" she 審議d. "I don't see—"

Lennox leaned across the little 木造の （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する that divided them. "You could let a friend go, mademoiselle," he 示唆するd. "A friend might manage it for you. If you look upon me as a friend, and I am proud to hope you do, if you would put the 事柄 into my 手渡すs, why, you know it would be an honour and a 楽しみ to come to serve you."

C駘estine considered the 事柄 a minute, then she looked up at him through her eyelashes. "If Monsieur would be so good, I see now that it would be safer. But indeed I do not like to trouble you."

"Trouble taken for you is a 楽しみ to me, mademoiselle," the 視察官 宣言するd gallantly. "I will walk up to Heron's Carew without 延期する if you will give me the 跡をつける to go upon."

C駘estine looked all around and lowered her 発言する／表明する. "I will tell you all from the beginning. You remember perhaps that I say that on the night of Lady Denborough's dinner party miladi have a migraine, that she stay at home and go out later."

Lennox nodded. "I remember thinking that she must have gone out to 会合，会う a lover myself."

C駘estine shook her 長，率いる. "It was no lover as I told you before, monsieur. The next day I find that one of the wardrobes door is locked. I wonder and I wonder why it is, and at last I find a 重要な that fit the lock, and I get it open. Inside, 押し進めるd 負かす／撃墜する in what you call the 井戸／弁護士席, I find the white tea-gown Miladi was wearing the evening before. It is all dusty now, and bedragged, and there is 署名／調印する on the skirt and the bodice and the sleeves are all stained with 血. Yes, indeed, monsieur," as Lennox, in spite of his self-支配（する）／統制する, uttered an exclamation of astonishment. "井戸／弁護士席 I say nothing—me. But I take out the gown, and I put it away in one of my places, and when Miladi come to look for it, it has gone and she never guess who has it."

"Still I don't see," Mr. Lennox 審議d. "Her nose might have bled."

"Pah!" C駘estine said contemptuously. "You have not heard all, monsieur. That night a man was killed in Leinster Avenue, and all London was trying to find a woman who visited him, a tall woman with golden hair, and only I, C駘estine, knew that it was miladi for whom they were looking. Miladi went up to see that man in the flat that night that he died. Now, monsieur, shall I not have my 復讐?"

"Perhaps," Lennox said slowly, "but it won't be the 平易な 事件／事情／状勢 you think, mademoiselle. It can't be dealt with by the 地元の police. And it isn't a 事柄 that I can walk up to Heron's Carew and lay before Sir Anthony; that would be to spoil everything—to give the whole show away. I have got a friend at Scotland Yard; if you will 許す me we will take his advice upon it, and see what he thinks we せねばならない do."

"As you like," C駘estine's 注目する，もくろむs 狭くするd into slits. "We will ask your friend what you like, only I will have my 復讐," she said decidedly. "You understand, monsieur, I must not be 奪うd of my 復讐."

一時期／支部 XXIV

"PEGGY is in the garden; you will find her there." The Dowager Lady Carew looked ばく然と at the window. It was evident that she did not want to be 乱すd.

With a word of 陳謝 Chesterham stepped out on to the terrace. He knew where he would be most likely to find Peggy. At an 早期に 行う／開催する／段階 of his 約束／交戦 he had been made 解放する／自由な of her favourite haunts. At the very end of the shrubbery a drooping 巡査 beech made a 避難所 on the hottest day. Peggy had a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する there and a couple of lounge 議長，司会を務めるs. As he parted the 支店s, she looked up with a quick exclamation. Her 直面する looked white and 病弱な, her 注目する，もくろむs were 激しい and there were purple 影をつくる／尾行するs beneath.

"Peggy, sweetheart, what is the 事柄? What have you been doing to yourself?" Chesterham dropped the leafy 審査する and （機の）カム 今後 熱望して.

But Peggy drew 支援する, she put aside his outstretched 手渡すs. "Not to-day. Please don't," she said, with a little 空気／公表する of dignity that sat oddly on her small childish 直面する.

Chesterham paused, the smile died out of his 注目する，もくろむs. "Why, Peggy, what is it?"

Peggy laid her 手渡す on her breast as if to hush its throbbing; she raised her 注目する，もくろむs and looked straight at the man before her.

"An hour ago," she said 刻々と, "I was in Lount 支持を得ようと努めるd."

"In Lount 支持を得ようと努めるd?" the man's 注目する，もくろむs fell guiltily. "Peggy, what do you mean?"

"I think you know," the girl said 静かに, "I saw you—you were not alone."

"You would not 非難する me for a few minutes' idle talk Peggy, I overtook the girl and these Frenchwomen always try to entangle you—"

Peggy gave him one contemptuous ちらりと見ること. "I was there when you （機の）カム," she said icily, "I was sketching the Three Beeches, a saw you 会合，会う her."

"You saw us 会合，会う!" For a moment the man had the grace to look disconcerted, then he made a desperate 成果／努力 to 回復する his usual manner, to brazen it out. "It was only a little idle flirtation, Peggy. I was a fool and worse, I 認める it, but a thing like that does not 影響する／感情 my feeling for you. That—"

Peggy's slight contemptuous ちらりと見ること did not alter.

"Does it not?" she questioned icily. "I had hoped the contrary, for I must 自白する the knowledge that you could make 任命s with my sister-in-法律's 解任するd maid, that you could walk with her, kiss her—Ah, you did not know I saw that—has altered my feeling に向かって you 完全に."

She drew the glittering circlet from the third finger of her left 手渡す, and held it out to him.

"Will you take this, please?"

He let her put the （犯罪の）一味 in his 手渡す. "You loved me once, Peggy," he said imploringly. "You will again; you will let me give you 支援する the （犯罪の）一味."

"Never!" the girl exclaimed with sudden 解雇する／砲火／射撃. "I was flattered by your attentions when we first met, Lord Chesterham. I liked you, but I never loved in the true sense of the word. I know that now, never at all."

"And who has made you so wise now?" he sneered. "But I need not ask, it is your good friend, Stephen Crasster, of course."

For a moment Peggy went very white; her 広大な／多数の／重要な brown 注目する，もくろむs 炎d 支援する their 軽蔑（する） at him, then the colour flowed slowly 支援する to her cheeks, she held her small 長，率いる very high.

"Stephen has never said a word of love to me," she said slowly. "Not a word. But it may be that from his chivalry I have learned the difference between love and what passes as love with such men as you."

"Have you really?" Chesterham laughed recklessly. His 注目する，もくろむs were glittering, his 直面する was red and puffy, the 抑制 that had 示すd his relations with Peggy was disappearing. "Ah, 井戸／弁護士席, I am not going to lose you, my pretty Peggy; if you do not come to me for love, you shall for 恐れる."

"恐れる!" Peggy echoed disdainfully. The courage of her ancestors sounded in the thrill of her 甘い young 発言する／表明する, she drew up her long, わずかな／ほっそりした throat. "Do you imagine that I am afraid of you—of anything that you can do?"

"Not for yourself," Chesterham said slowly. As his bloodshot 注目する，もくろむs wandered over the tall svelte 人物／姿／数字, the charming riante 直面する, the sullen 怒り／怒る in them changed to an unwilling 賞賛. "But for those you love."

"Those I love," Peggy said blankly. "What do you mean?" 縮むing a little as if some 冷淡な 勝利，勝つd touched her.

"Those you love," Chesterham repeated deliberately. "You would do a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 to save them from danger, it may be from death itself, wouldn't you, Peggy? You would even for their sakes keep your 約束 to me," with a laugh that drove the colour from Peggy's cheeks once more.

"Will you explain yourself?" she said. "You are talking in riddles. If there is anything in your words beyond a mere empty 脅し you must be more 限定された, please."

"It is no mere empty 脅し," he said slowly. "A word from me would bring 不名誉 and 廃虚 upon Heron's Carew. Such 不名誉 and 廃虚 as you have never dreamed of. It is for you, Peggy, to say whether that word shall be spoken."

Something in his トン carried the 有罪の判決 home to Peggy that he was not speaking without 創立／基礎, and for the moment her 勇敢に立ち向かう young spirit quailed.

"I have said that you must be more explicit," she 設立する herself 説 in a dull, level 発言する／表明する that did not sound in the least like her own. "不名誉 and 廃虚 are strange words to use in connexion with Heron's Carew."

Chesterham pulled his long moustache; his 注目する，もくろむs watched her in a savage underhand fashion. "A word from me would send your sister-in-法律 to 刑務所，拘置所—it might even be to the scaffold itself—would bring such a terrible 災害 upon Heron's Carew as you have never dreamed of."

Peggy gathered up her courage in both 手渡すs. She looked him in the 直面する fully, contemptuously.

"It is a 嘘（をつく）!" she said very deliberately. "Will you kindly 許す me to pass? I have nothing more to say to you."

"But I have something to say to you," Chesterham said grimly. He bent 今後 and caught her slender wrists in a 支配する of アイロンをかける. "You can go to your sister-in-法律; you can tell her what I say; I will give you a week to think it over, and then, unless you keep your 約束 to me, I shall speak and the blow will 落ちる."

Peggy did not speak, she only looked up at him with big, wide-opened 注目する，もくろむs in which there lay something of the anguish of a wild 罠にかける thing; then made her way gropingly across the lawn to the house.

A もや seemed to rise up before her and all the pleasant familiar surroundings. The scene she had 証言，証人／目撃するd in the Lount 支持を得ようと努めるd earlier in the day had shocked her, had 完全にするd the 涙／ほころびing of the 隠す from her 注目する，もくろむs that Chesterham's own words with regard to Stephen Crasster had begun, but it had not 用意が出来ている her for the crass cowardliness, the depth of moral turpitude this interview with the man she once thought she loved had 明らかにする／漏らすd.

From her window she saw Chesterham walk across the lawn to his car, and then, with a curt word to his chauffeur, 運動 out of the gate.

She had hardly had time to realize the meaning of his 脅しs against Judith; that he should have any 力／強力にする to carry them into 影響 was impossible, she told herself. Yet Judith had altered so strangely, so terribly of late. The girl remembered her own 疑惑s, her 恐れる that something was wrong between Judith and Anthony, her certainty that ill-health alone would not account for everything. Her 疑問 became a certainty that Chesterham's words held a 重要な to the mystery. Not that Peggy believed that Judith's silence 隠すd any 有罪の secret. She 信用d her sister-in-法律 too 井戸／弁護士席 to think that; but she did fancy that Judith's past might 持つ／拘留する some mystery, innocent enough in itself, Out of which Chesterham was trying to make 資本／首都. One thing grew clearer out of the 大混乱 in which Peggy's mind was enveloped—the only person who could help her now was Judith.

At this hour Judith was pretty sure to be 設立する at home and alone. She would go to her. Peggy caught up her hat, and without giving herself time to change her mind 始める，決める off through the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd to Heron's Carew. Judith was not on the lawn; Peggy 設立する her in the morning-room, lying 支援する on the couch の中で her cushions, looking white and 病弱な.

She started up with a cry of alarm as she saw her young sister-in-法律's 直面する.

"What is wrong, Peggy?"

"Nothing much, I hope; but that is what I have come to you to find out," the girl answered ばく然と, as she put her 武器 一連の会議、交渉／完成する Judith and made her 嘘（をつく） 支援する. "It may be that everything is 権利 instead of wrong," she went on, while Judith waited, watching her with a nameless 恐れる, her breath coming and going in soft gasps. "I have broken off my 約束／交戦 with Lord Chesterham."

"You have broken off your 約束／交戦 to Lord Chesterham!" Judith echoed; then, to Peggy's びっくり仰天, she burst into 涙／ほころびs. "Oh, it is because I am so glad, Peggy," she sobbed. "So glad; he is a bad man; I don't like him, I am afraid of him."

"Yes," said Peggy softly, taking Judith's 手渡すs in hers, and chafing them against her warm young cheek.

"Why didn't you tell me so before, Judith?"

"Oh, it wouldn't have been any use," Judith said beneath her breath. "You wouldn't listen to Anthony or to Stephen."

"No," Peggy said, still keeping the 冷淡な 手渡すs against her cheek. "But I think I should have listened to you, Judith, if you had told me everything."

"Told you everything?" Judith tore her 手渡すs away, she raised herself on one 肘 and 星／主役にするd at the girl. "What do you mean?"

Peggy 圧力（をかける）d her soft red lips to the pale cheek. "If you had told me all you knew of Chesterham. Do you know that when I told him just now that all was over between us, that I could not marry him, he said that I must, for your sake. That if I did not he would bring some terrible trouble upon you—upon Heron's Carew?"

Judith sat as if she had been turned to 石／投石する; her 直面する was marble white, while all her 拷問d soul seemed to look out of her 緊張するing, 燃やすing 注目する，もくろむs.

"What trouble?" she said hoarsely. "Did he tell you?"

Peggy hesitated a minute, but it seemed to her that perfect frankness was the only thing that could save them now. "He spoke of trouble that would end in open 不名誉, in 刑務所，拘置所—even on the scaffold itself."

"Ah!" Judith drew a long breath.

From beneath her long 攻撃するs Peggy's brown 注目する，もくろむs watched her very lovingly. "He says he will keep silence only if I marry him. Judith, what am I to do? What are we to do?"

Judith did not answer. She sat motionless, only her 注目する，もくろむs altered. Very 徐々に the light of a 広大な／多数の／重要な 決定／判定勝ち（する） 夜明けd in them. At last she moved; very slowly she raised herself to her feet; she held out her 手渡す to Peggy.

"Come!" she whispered. "Come, Peggy."

"Where?" Peggy looked at her with a new-born awe, in which some 恐れる mingled. "What are you going to do, Judith?"

"What I せねばならない have done long ago," Judith said slowly with her stiff lips. "I am going to take you to Anthony, to tell him everything—so that you must not be sacrificed."

Filled with 恐れる, she hardly knew of what, Peggy tried to 持つ／拘留する her 支援する.

"Wait, Judith, wait. Let us think."

But Judith would not pause. Her 冷淡な 手渡す gripped the girl's insistently. "Come!"

As they passed into the hall they heard a sob on the staircase. Some one （機の）カム 速く に向かって them. "Oh, my lady—my lady, Master Paul!"

Peggy felt the poor mother's form 強化する. "What is it?" Judith cried wildly. "Speak, woman, speak! What is wrong with him?"

"My lady, we are afraid it is convulsions," the woman 滞るd. "If your ladyship would come at once."

一時期／支部 XXV

TALGARTH was a pleasant old-fashioned house. Tradition had it that it had been built out of the 石／投石するs from the 塀で囲むs of the convent that had stood の近くに by, and that had been 略奪するd and destroyed by the orders of the eighth Henry. For the past twenty years Squire Hunter, from whom Stephen Crasster bought Talgarth, had not had money to keep the old place up, and it had acquired a forlorn, neglected look. Stephen Crasster had 事業／計画（する）d wide-spreading 改良s, but the tidings of Peggy's 約束／交戦 had taken the heart out of him.

視察官 Furnival 設立する Stephen in the library when, in 返答 to repeated 招待s, he walked over to Talgarth one summer evening.

Crasster sprang up in surprise as "Mr. Lennox" was 発表するd.

"Why, 視察官, this is a welcome surprise," he said, shaking 手渡すs cordially. "I have been looking over the 公式文書，認めるs of a 事例／患者 and trying to （不足などを）補う my mind about it. You are just in the nick of time to give me some help with it."

"井戸／弁護士席, I don't know that I shall be of much 援助, sir. It seems to me that my brain is pretty 井戸／弁護士席 addled." The 視察官 laughed as he took the 議長，司会を務める that Crasster 示すd opposite to his own. "As a 事柄 of fact I have come up hoping that you would let me talk over one or two little 事柄s with you—things that are puzzling me a bit."

"Are they in 関係 with the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 事例／患者?" Crasster's 直面する had grown suddenly 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. His 手渡す, as he 再開するd his seat, （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 a restless tattoo on the arm of his 議長，司会を務める. "井戸／弁護士席, 視察官, what is it? Anything fresh?"

"井戸／弁護士席, it is and it isn't, sir," the 視察官 replied enigmatically. He drew out his notebook, and, 抽出するing an envelope, 手渡すd it to Stephen. "This （機の）カム by this morning's 地位，任命する."

Stephen looked at it curiously. It was 演説（する）／住所d to Mr. Lennox at the Carew 武器, in 半端物-looking handwriting—one that sloped backwards and was evidently disguised.

"井戸／弁護士席?" he said at last inquiringly. "What sort of a communication is this, 視察官? One would say at first sight that your 特派員 did not wish to be identified."

The 視察官 smiled. "正確に the 事例／患者, I fancy, sir. However, will you read the enclosure?"

Crasster made an involuntary movement of distaste as he drew out the thin oblong sheet of paper, and saw the crooked misshapen 令状ing inside:

"If 視察官 Furnival wishes to 問い合わせ into Lady Carew's antecedents he will be able to get all the （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） he 要求するs from Canon Rankin of St. Barnabas' Vicarage, Chelsea. The Canon might also be questioned with regard to a mysterious 訪問者 who （機の）カム in one day this spring. These hints may be more useful to 視察官 Furnival than anything he will 得る from the maid, C駘estine, and they are 申し込む／申し出d for his consideration by a 支持者."

Stephen read the rancorous words over twice, then he flicked the paper on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する contemptuously.

"From C駘estine herself?" he hazarded.

The 視察官 smiled as he shook his 長，率いる. "No, C駘estine hasn't discovered my real 商売／仕事 yet. That paper was bought in Chesterham village, sir. I made it my 商売／仕事 as soon as this epistle arrived to go 一連の会議、交渉／完成する all the little shops in the neighbourhood and discover, if possible, where it was 購入（する）d. I ran it to earth at an old dame's in Chesterham village. I laid in a 在庫／株 of it myself, and the old lady was やめる pleased, and said she would have to order extra 供給（する）s, as it was やめる wonderful how the gentry were taking to it."

Stephen raised his eyebrows. "Gentry?" he questioned gently.

The 視察官 laughed. "She said that a lady who was staying at General Wilton's a week or two ago （機の）カム in one afternoon and bought a whole box."

"You surely don't mean—" said Stephen.

視察官 Furnival nodded. "Lady Palmer, sir. There can't be any question about that. I have compared the 令状ing too, with a 見本／標本 of hers that I managed to get, and I don't feel any 疑問 at all that it is hers. My mind might not have gone straight to her, though, but for C駘estine," he 追加するd candidly. "She told me one day how Lady Palmer was always asking her questions about Lady Carew, and now she is a 未亡人, and 非，不，無 too 井戸／弁護士席 off, and Sir Anthony has come into the 肩書を与える and 広い地所s, nothing would 控訴 Lady Palmer better than to get rid of Lady Carew. Do you take me, sir?"

Crasster did not answer for a minute. He sat looking at the paper; at last he raised his 注目する，もくろむs.

"How could Lady Palmer have become 所有するd of the （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） that this 公式文書，認める presupposes?"

The 視察官 shrugged his shoulders. "It is impossible to say, sir, さもなければ than that probably C駘estine on her 解雇／（訴訟の）却下 from Heron's Carew did not 持つ／拘留する her tongue. However, that is neither here nor there. I brought this 公式文書，認める to you to show you that our time is short. Something will have to be done soon."

Stephen got up and threw open the window as though the atmosphere stifled him.

"The woman must be a perfect fiend!"

The 視察官 smiled as one tolerant of the idiosyncrasies of the 女性 sex.

"Ah, 井戸／弁護士席, sir, when jealousy gets 持つ／拘留する of a woman! There is something else I have got to show you, Mr. Crasster." He drew a small 一括 done up in brown paper from his pocket and began to open it. When at last the 視察官 laid the opened paper upon the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, he turned. "There sir."

Stephen leaned 今後 熱望して; then as he saw the 反対する lying in the 中央 of such careful 広げるing, he looked amazed. "Why, what is this, 視察官? Surely nothing but an ordinary latch-重要な."

The 視察官 gazed at it almost affectionately; then he turned and ちらりと見ることd はっきりと at the other man's 利益／興味d 直面する.

"It is Mr. C. Warden's latch-重要な, sir, 設立する in his pocket after death."

"Oh!" Stephen looked puzzled. "I remember; it was の中で the contents of his pocket. But I don't see what you are doing with it now, 視察官. Where does it come in?"

視察官 Furnival smiled 静かに, not ill-pleased.

"井戸／弁護士席, I think it will 最終的に form an important link in our chain of 証拠, sir. If you will 診察する it a little more closely I think you will come to the same 結論."

Crasster 選ぶd up a magnifying glass, and laying the 重要な on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する bent over it a minute or two without speaking. At last he looked up.

"I see 粒子s of wax 固執するing to the 区s."

視察官 Furnival nodded as he looked at him. "The inference 存在 that some one had an impression in wax taken of the 重要な, or lock, or both?"

"Of—of—course." Stephen sprang to his feet in his excitement. "Then this （疑いを）晴らすs Lady Carew. It 証明するs—"

"Nothing," the 視察官 said curtly.

Crasster standing up now on the hearthrug, with his 支援する to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃-place, ちらりと見ることd at the other man's expressionless 直面する.

"It 証明するs nothing except that another person, probably not Warden himself, had taken means to procure a 重要な to the flat," the 視察官 went on after a pause. "It would count for nothing in comparison with the 負わせる of 証拠 against Lady Carew. And yet it does give us a （法などの）抜け穴—"

"We must work it up," Stephen exclaimed 熱望して. "It gives me real hope, Furnival. My heart has been as 激しい as lead these last few days, though I knew there wasn't—there couldn't be—anything in your theories. With this we shall （疑いを）晴らす both Sir Anthony and Lady Carew yet."

"We may 巻き込む Sir Anthony, it seems to me, sir," the 視察官 said slowly. "For anything we know yet, sir.

"巻き込む Sir Anthony!" Crasster 星／主役にするd at him.

"I said, for anything we know yet," the 探偵，刑事 訂正するd. "It may be that Sir Anthony 設立する out where her ladyship was going, and 供給するd himself beforehand with the means of getting into the flat, and ascertaining what went on during her interview with Warden. Mind, I don't say this is my 見解（をとる） of the 事例／患者, but it is one which has 設立する some belief at （警察，軍隊などの）本部. My 長，指導者 is not inclined to believe in the 可能性 of any third person 存在 mixed up in the 事件／事情／状勢."

Looking at the 探偵，刑事's impassive 直面する, listening to his carefully modulated 発言する／表明する, Crasster felt his heart 沈む. He had been telling himself, ever since he saw the 探偵，刑事 on the 先行する Monday, that there must be some way out of this horrible 行き詰まり in which the Carews were 伴う／関わるd. To-day, however, it seemed to Crasster that Furnival spoke as if the 事柄 were one 完全に out of his 支配（する）／統制する, as if he had to some extent lost 利益／興味 in it.

"What are you going to do now?" Crasster questioned.

The 視察官 looked up as if startled from a daydream. "井戸／弁護士席, I have a 計画（する）, sir. Not much of one, but still it may answer. I should have put it into 死刑執行 to-day but for this illness of the child's."

"Child's, what child's?" Stephen questioned. "What child is ill?"

Furnival looked surprised. "I thought you would have heard, sir. Sir Anthony Carew's little boy. They telegraphed to London for a specialist an hour ago."

"What?" Stephen looked at him in びっくり仰天. "It must be terribly sudden. I saw him last night, he was all 権利 then."

"Children are like that," the 視察官 観察するd philosophically.

Stephen hardly heard the 結論 of the 宣告，判決. He looked at his watch.

"You will 許す me, 視察官, I must go over and see how the boy is."

The 視察官 stood up and buttoned his coat. "I must be getting 支援する too, sir. There may be some news waiting for me. If you will be so good as to give me a 解除する, I shall be 大いに 強いるd."

"Delighted, I'm sure," said Crasster cordially. "Though I wish you would stay, 視察官."

"Not to-day thank you, sir."

It was a 運動 of nine miles from Talgarth to Heron's Carew, but Stephen's powerful car made short work of the distance. The night was dark and 脅すing. The 空気／公表する was 蒸し暑い and 激しい with the 負わせる that presages the coming of the 嵐／襲撃する, To Stephen it seemed prophetic; the very elements were in sympathy with his mood, with the 悲劇 that overhung Heron's Carew. He put the 視察官 負かす／撃墜する at the Carew 武器 and drove on to Heron's Carew. As he passed the Dower House he caught sight of a white 人物／姿／数字 leaning against the gate. With a quick exclamation he stopped the car and sprang out. "Peggy, what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Dr. Bennett." The girl let him take her 冷淡な 手渡す in his; she looked at him with dull, uncomprehending 注目する，もくろむs. "Paul is ill, you know, they say he is dying. They—Judith—sent me to tell Mother, because she always loved him, and the shock has made her やめる ill, so ill that I can't leave her and go 支援する to Heron's Carew. So I （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する here to watch for Dr. Bennett to ask him—"

"You poor child," Stephen said tenderly. "Let me take you 支援する to the house, Peggy. I will go up to Heron's Carew and bring you 支援する word how he is."

She let him draw her arm through his and lead her up the 運動. She shivered, her fingers clung more closely to Stephen's arm.

"I—I am 脅すd, Stephen," she whispered.

He looked 負かす／撃墜する at her with a smile. "Of what, Peggy?"

She gave a little hoarse sob. "Of—of everything."

"Of everything. Nonsense!" Stephen spoke in a トン of 静める 当局. "Paul's illness has upset you, of course."

Presently, there rose the low rumbling of distant 雷鳴.

"There!" Peggy caught her breath. "It is coming. I can feel it. And—and—" She drew Stephen onward quickly. She looked up at him with big, 恐れる-laden 注目する，もくろむs; her lips trembled; the 手渡す lying on his arm shook as if with ague. "I have helped to bring trouble. What shall I do, Stephen? What shall I do?"

Inside the hall Crasster stopped determinedly. "You are overwrought, tired out, Peggy. And there is 雷鳴 in the 空気／公表する. It upsets many people. 約束 me you will put these 恐れるs aside, and to-morrow, when Paul is better—"

Peggy had dropped his arm now. She stood apart, her white 直面する 解除するd to the sky. To his last 宣告，判決 she 明らかに paid no 注意する at all.

"There are other things in the 空気／公表する to-night 同様に as 雷鳴," she said breathlessly. "There is trouble and treachery and—and worse. It is terrible not to know, to wait here and imagine the horrors the 不明瞭 hides. Oh, Stephen, when shall we—"

A forked, ジグザグの tongue of blue 炎上 seemed to shoot 権利 between them, almost 同時に the 雷鳴 broke 総計費, and pealed and reverberated around.

With a despairing cry Peggy turned and 急ぐd into the house.

一時期／支部 XXVI

DAWN was breaking slowly, as the first rays of the rising sun filtered through the unclosed windows of the nursery. Judith, with her child in her 武器 looked up wildly into the doctor's 直面する. But the doctor's 表現 was inscrutable, his watch was in his 手渡す, his gaze 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on the tiny waxen 直面する.

Sir Anthony stood opposite; daylight made him look haggard. There were 疲れた／うんざりしたd circles 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his 注目する，もくろむs. Suddenly the doctor stooped, looked more closely at the child in Judith's 武器, then with an imperative gesture he pointed to the white cot. "Lay him there," he whispered. "Nay, my dear Lady Carew, you must! It is most important that he should have all the 空気／公表する he can かもしれない get."

Judith obeyed. Then she waited, standing 支援する, waited for the doctor's word that should 企て，努力，提案 her look for the ぱたぱたするing of the wings of the Angel Azrael.

On the other 味方する of the cot the doctor stood, his 注目する，もくろむs bent on his little 患者. Sir Anthony crossed over to his wife, he took her ice-冷淡な 手渡すs in his.

"Judith," he said softly. "My poor darling."

For the time 存在 the dark abyss of sin and horror that lay between them was forgotten; they were not the estranged husband and wife now; they were 簡単に Paul's father and mother, watching together by their sick child's bed.

Judith let her 手渡すs 残り／休憩（する） in her husband's; she 残り／休憩（する）d herself against him as if she were too much exhausted to stand alone. "Anthony, will he live—will my little baby Paul live?" she questioned beneath her breath. Sir Anthony put one strong arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her and held her up. "Pray we may keep him, Judith, our dear little Paul," he whispered, his whole でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる quivering, strong man though he was.

As in a 見通し all that the 未来 might 持つ／拘留する rose before her, the 拷問ing shame, the horrible 恐れる and 不名誉. A long shiver shook her from 長，率いる to foot.

"Perhaps it is best that he should go," she said dully. "Perhaps it is best, Anthony."

She felt his form 強化する, then very gently he put her from him; he moved away and stood by the mantelpiece, waiting.

Dr. Bennett was standing at the foot of the cot, his 注目する，もくろむs 直す／買収する，八百長をするd intently upon his little 患者. He bent 今後 now, then beckoned to the nurse who was standing behind. She 手渡すd him the cup from which she had been trying to get Paul to take some nourishment, and with a spoon he managed to get a few 減少（する）s between the parted lips. Then he 始める，決める the cup 負かす／撃墜する on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and ちらりと見ることd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する.

Sir Anthony stepped quickly to his 味方する. Surely the last moment had come, he thought, but the doctor looked beyond him at the mother's 直面する.

"It is good news, Lady Carew," he said softly. "The one chance that I had hardly dared to hope for has come to pass. Nature is 権利ing herself, the stupor has passed into natural sleep, and little Paul is saved. Please God he will do 井戸／弁護士席 now!"

"Please God!" Judith echoed the words mechanically, 星／主役にするing at Dr. Bennett as though her benumbed brain failed to しっかり掴む the meaning of his words, then her whole 直面する quivered, she burst into 涙／ほころびs. "He is going to live, our little Paul," she gasped. Sir Anthony drew her to an 平易な 議長，司会を務める and made her sit 負かす／撃墜する.

Dr. Bennett 注目する，もくろむd her benevolently. "The best thing for her," he said in answer to Sir Anthony's look of anxious 調査. "She is worn out by 苦悩 and watching. Now, if you could get her to her room—I shall be here for some hours yet, and I want the 患者 kept as 静かな as possible."

But for some time Judith resisted both his and her husband's entreaties to 残り／休憩（する）, to leave Paul to his nurse and the doctor. At last, however, the night's 徹夜, coming on the 最高の，を越す of her previous 証拠不十分, made of her 同意／服従 a thing outside her own will, and Sir Anthony half carried her from the room. She clung to him as he laid her fully dressed on the bed, and drew the quilt around her. "Anthony," she whispered, "don't leave me. Stay with me here, where I can see you." For the moment, Sir Anthony hesitated; then he laid his 手渡す on hers as he sat 負かす／撃墜する beside her.

"Try to sleep, Judith," he 勧めるd. "Nothing will do you so much good as that. And when Paul wakes we will call you."

Judith の近くにd her 注目する，もくろむs obediently, but her brain had been too 完全に 重税をかけるd to 残り／休憩（する） at once; one thought obsessed it now; there was something she must tell Anthony, something she had 約束d to tell Anthony, but she could not remember what it was.

She turned feebly to her husband. "Anthony, there is something you せねばならない know, something I せねばならない tell you—"

Sir Anthony's 直面する was very sombre. His mind was 回転するing that 宣告，判決 that had fallen from her lips in the room above. Perhaps it is best that he should go. Would it have been best, he was asking himself, that the little life should have flickered out? It might be that in the 未来 baby Paul himself might wish that to-day had been the end of all, that he had died before he grew up to 株 in the horrible shame that might 落ちる any day now on the Carews of Heron Carew.

Judith's weak 発言する／表明する went on insistently. "You don't listen, and I—I want you to help me. I can't remember what it is I have to tell you."

Sir Anthony ちらりと見ることd at her. She was looking very ill, he 公式文書，認めるd it dispassionately.

"Help me, Anthony. What am I to tell you?"

"Nothing," he spoke 厳しく. "Nothing, there is nothing you can tell me, Judith. You are to be still and go to sleep."

But the 広大な／多数の／重要な 注目する，もくろむs that looked purple now in the 影をつくる／尾行する only gazed at him more anxiously. "But I must tell you, I 約束d Peggy—"

"約束d Peggy!" Sir Anthony echoed, startled in spite of himself. "What did you 約束 Peggy?"

Judith drew her brows together. "I—I don't know," she said faintly. "Peggy said I must be 勇敢に立ち向かう; we were coming together to tell you—something. Then they （機の）カム, and said that Paul was ill, and I think a 黒人／ボイコット cloud burst in my brain; everything is dark and mixed up together. I can't remember what I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to say to you. I—I wish I could." The 涙／ほころびs sprang into her 注目する，もくろむs, ran 負かす／撃墜する her cheeks; she began to sob pitifully.

Anthony felt that this was no time for その上の 尋問. He soothed her agitation 同様に as he could, and Judith 産する／生じるd herself to his 影響（力） and presently fell into a restful slumber.

Sir Anthony waited until the soft 正規の／正選手 breathing told him that she was really asleep, then he went into his dressing-room and の近くにd the door. He felt a 確かな prevision that the day that he had been dreading for so long, the day that he had always known in his heart was 必然的な, was の近くに at 手渡す.

It was wearing に向かって seven when Lady Carew woke at last with her mind fully conscious of her surroundings. She got out of bed then, and walking slowly, helping herself by the balustrade like one 回復するing from a serious illness, she made her way to the nursery, and 満足させるd herself that Paul was going on 井戸／弁護士席.

The nurse cried out when she saw her mistress's 直面する, but Judith only smiled wanly, and told her that she was going to speak to Sir Anthony, and that she would come up again presently.

The irony of her words made her smile as she went 支援する to her room. What would have happened before she saw her child again? What pity, what help could she hope for, from Paul's father, when he had heard her story?

She took the nourishment her maid brought her, and 軍隊d herself to swallow it. She would need all her strength, she knew, for the coming interview, if she could hope in any way to make Anthony understand.

As she went downstairs she heard 発言する／表明するs in the hall—Anthony's and Crasster's. "I'll just show you what I mean, Crasster," Anthony was 説. "But I won't come any さらに先に to-day. Truth to tell, I have had such a fright about the boy, I don't care to be out of 審理，公聴会 of him." There was an inaudible reply from Stephen. Judith drew 支援する out of sight on the bend of the stair. They crossed to the 前線 door.

The door slammed behind them. Judith waited a minute or two to make sure the coast was （疑いを）晴らす, then she （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する slowly and, after a moment's hesitation, opened the 熟考する／考慮する door. Anthony had said he was going to do some work there; 井戸／弁護士席, he would find her waiting.

The 熟考する／考慮する was a large room, furnished in a 厳しく masculine style, with big leather covered 平易な 議長，司会を務めるs and solid looking （米）棚上げする／（英）提議するs, a low divan ran across one end of the room, since Sir Anthony preferred it to the 正規の／正選手 smoking room.

A big 審査する of stamped leather stood 近づく the window, Judith took the 議長，司会を務める it shaded, the 部分的な／不平等な gloom was very 感謝する to her tired 注目する，もくろむs. Anthony was longer in coming 支援する than she imagined he would be. At last, her eyelids drooped, her thoughts 追跡するd into unconsciousness, and she was asleep once more.

How long she had been there she never knew. She was awakened by the sound of 発言する／表明するs on the other 味方する of the 審査する, strange 発言する／表明するs, but they were speaking of things that 関心d her. She caught words that drove the 血 支援する from her heart. "The Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人." She realized that the （衆議院の）議長s believed themselves to be alone, that they were speaking of her and Anthony. She leaned 今後 and listened, her white 直面する aglow with a strange 切望.

一時期／支部 XXVII

"SIR ANTHONY will see you in a few minutes, if you will please to take a seat." The butler 勧めるd Mr. Lennox and his companion into the 熟考する／考慮する.

Mr. Lennox ちらりと見ることd about him 熱心に as he took the 議長，司会を務める the man 示すd; then his 直面する assumed a 満足させるd 表現.

"I think it is the only thing to be done. We can't afford to 選ぶ and choose in our profession, Barker."

"No, sir," the man acquiesced.

Mr. Lennox straightened himself suddenly. "I should say the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人 has been as puzzling an 事件／事情／状勢 as we ever had in 手渡す, take it from first to last."

Mr. Barker looked at his superior in a little surprise. "And we are not out of the 支持を得ようと努めるd yet, sir."

"We are pretty 井戸／弁護士席 through with it," the other 否定するd. "There will not be much left to the imagination when I have finished with Sir Anthony Carew, I fancy. You understand what you have to do, Barker?"

"I think so, sir."

"Be careful! A word or two too much or too little might do untold mischief. On the other 手渡す, if you manage 首尾よく there will be a 昇進／宣伝 for you over this 商売／仕事. Ah, here is Sir Anthony," as they caught an echo of his 発言する／表明する in the hall.

Both men stood up as Sir Anthony （機の）カム into the room. He was looking manifestly tired and ill.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said as he 屈服するd. "But my time is rather 十分な up to-day. I understand that your 商売／仕事 is important, Mr.—er—Lennox," ちらりと見ることing at the card in his 手渡す.

"It is, sir," that functionary answered. "Had it been possible to 延期する it longer I would have done so, knowing that you had a good 取引，協定 of 苦悩 to-day. But I am 事実上の／代理 on 指示／教授／教育s from （警察，軍隊などの）本部. And I think I had better begin by telling you, Sir Anthony, that, though I have called myself Lennox 負かす／撃墜する here for 推論する／理由s that you will understand, I am really 探偵，刑事-視察官 Furnival, of Scotland Yard."

"Indeed!" There was a slight 強化するing of Sir Anthony's muscles that did not escape the 探偵，刑事's keen 注目する，もくろむs. "I should be glad if you could make your 商売／仕事 as short as possible," he went on politely, "since my time is, of necessity, much 占領するd."

"I やめる understand, Sir Anthony. If you will 許す me." He spoke a few words in an undertone to Mr. Barker. "My friend will wait for us in the hall, sir, if you have no 反対." He opened the door and showed the man out. Then as he の近くにd it, his manner changed; he （機の）カム 支援する to Sir Anthony. "I am 負かす／撃墜する here to 調査／捜査する the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人, and I want your help, sir."

"My help!" Sir Anthony echoed, his countenance changing, in spite of his best 成果／努力 to 持続する his composure. "I am at a loss to understand you. In what way can I help you?"

"I will tell you, sir," the 視察官 looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. "But as it is likely to be a long story, might I 示唆する a seat—"

"Take one!" Sir Anthony said curtly. He went ever to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃-place as the 視察官 availed himself of his 許可, and took up a position on the hearthrug, with one 肘 on the high 木造の mantelshelf. His dark 直面する was 絶対 impassive now, as he looked at the 視察官 and waited for him to begin.

The 探偵，刑事 （疑いを）晴らすd his throat. "It would help me 大いに, sir, it would help everybody who is 利益／興味d in the 事例／患者, very materially, if you would tell us the facts as you know them."

"The facts as I know them! I am unable to guess your meaning, you must be more explicit, please! What facts do you imagine I am likely to know?" Sir Anthony's トン was 冷淡な, his countenance was 絶対 unmoved, the 視察官 was 強いるd to admire his self-命令（する）.

"The 証言 of anybody who was on the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す 近づく the time of the 殺人, if not at the actual moment, is bound to be useful," the 探偵，刑事 said 静かに.

Sir Anthony 注目する，もくろむd him more carefully. "Your words 暗示する that you imagine I was on the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す."

"We know you were," the 探偵，刑事 said decisively. "Sir Anthony, won't you 取引，協定 率直に with me? I will not 隠す from you that 事柄s may become serious for you. Any moment I may have 限定された orders from Scotland Yard to 影響 your 逮捕（する）. I am here, because, in spite of 状況証拠, I cannot believe in your 犯罪. I am hoping that you may tell me something that may put me on the 跡をつける of the real 犯罪の. I know you can help me, Sir Anthony. Will you?"

Sir Anthony did not answer for a minute. He drew a box of cigars that stood at the other end of the mantelpiece に向かって him, and selecting one carefully, 削減（する） off the tip and lighted it, then he held the box to the 探偵，刑事.

"Help yourself, 視察官; they are first-率 Havanas. 井戸／弁護士席," watching his smoke curling 上向きs, "how much do you know?"

視察官 Furnival hesitated. The 状況／情勢 要求するd careful 扱うing.

"We know the 身元 of the lady who visited the flat on the night of the 殺人," he began 試験的に at last. "We know that while she was inside you were watching from the 避難所 of a doorway opposite; we know that after she had come out you entered the 封鎖する of flats, and that it must have been very 近づく the time the 致命的な 発射 was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d. The ピストル 設立する in the room has been identified as your 所有物／資産／財産."

Sir Anthony's start was not lost on the keen-witted 探偵，刑事, but there （機の）カム no other answer. 視察官 Furnival sat 支援する in his 議長，司会を務める and waited.

"井戸／弁護士席, sir?" the 探偵，刑事 said at last.

Sir Anthony took his cigar from his mouth. "井戸／弁護士席?" he echoed with a slight 疲れた／うんざりした smile. "There does not seem much more to be said, does there, 視察官?"

The 利益／興味 in the 探偵，刑事's 注目する，もくろむs grew keener, he leaned 今後 and watched Sir Anthony's 直面する closely.

"You mean, sir—"

Sir Anthony shrugged his shoulders. "There does not seem to me to be much to say, 視察官! You have got your facts all very pat—井戸／弁護士席, there is nothing for you to do but to 行為／法令／行動する upon them, I should imagine."

Something in his トン, some faint contemptuous menace made the 探偵，刑事 momentarily wince.

"I have told you my reading of the facts, sir, won't you help me?"

"How can I?" Sir Anthony parried. "You couldn't 推定する／予想する it, you know, 視察官. But I thought there was a 確かな 形式順守, a little 警告 that was always given by the police to a 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う, before they questioned him. I fancied he was always told that what he said would be taken 負かす／撃墜する in 令状ing and might be used in 証拠 against him. You are not so generous as your confr鑽es, 視察官!"

The 視察官 stood up and buttoned his coat. "If you take it that way, sir, there is no more to be said. I （機の）カム to ask your help. If you 辞退する to give it me—"

"You will have to 落ちる 支援する upon Scotland Yard's 計画（する）," Sir Anthony finished, a resolute touch of lightness in his トン, though his 深い-始める，決める 注目する，もくろむs were sombre. "Understand, 視察官, you will find me here when you want me. I shall not run away, I 保証する you."

"No, I think you are too wise for that, sir," the 探偵，刑事's トン was grim: "I knew you could help me; I thought you would. I may have taken an unprofessional course, but I think the circumstances 正当化するd it. I hope you may not 悔いる your 拒絶 to be frank with me later on." He moved a step backwards, a little nearer the leather 審査する as he spoke.

"I hope I shall not," Sir Anthony 答える／応じるd imperturbably. "The 法律 does not 軍隊 a man to 罪を負わせる himself, you know, 視察官."

"I know, and I tell you that I believe you could not only 解放する／自由な yourself from every 影をつくる／尾行する of 疑惑, if you chose, but could also help us materially to discover the real 犯罪の." 視察官 Furnival's トン was （疑いを）晴らす and 際立った; he looked straight into the strong impassive 直面する of the man in 前線 of him. "But that won't avail us much when 指示／教授／教育s come 負かす／撃墜する from Scotland Yard, to 適用する for a 令状 for the 逮捕（する） of Sir Anthony Carew for the 殺人 in Abbey 法廷，裁判所."

Sir Anthony bent his 長，率いる in acquiescence. "I know you mean 井戸／弁護士席, 視察官. Many thanks for your good 意向s. I am sure—"

"Stop!" the 発言する／表明する rang out imperiously, the leather 審査する was 押し進めるd aside and fell to the 床に打ち倒す. Sir Anthony's 直面する went white beneath its tan. A curious 満足させるd gleam shone for a moment in the 探偵，刑事's 注目する，もくろむs, as a tall, わずかな／ほっそりした 人物／姿／数字, in a light dressing-gown rose, and 安定したd itself tremblingly against the high 支援する of a 議長，司会を務める. "Stop!" the （疑いを）晴らす 発言する／表明する 命令（する）d again.

"Judith!" Sir Anthony exclaimed hoarsely. He went 今後 quickly. "What is it, dear? Why are you here? Come, let me take you 支援する to your room—to Paul."

"No!" Judith put his 手渡すs aside decidedly, she held tightly to the high 議長，司会を務める in 前線 of her, her 注目する，もくろむs ちらりと見ることd, not at the 直面する of the man she loved, but past him at the lynx-注目する，もくろむd 探偵，刑事. "You will not 適用する for a 令状 for the 逮捕（する） of Sir Anthony Carew for the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人," she said in a high unnatural 発言する／表明する. "Because he is innocent. I killed the man who was known as C. Warden, in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flat."

Sir Anthony caught her rigid 人物／姿／数字 概略で in his 武器. "You are mad, Judith! You do not know what you are 説! Your night of watching, your grief, have turned your brain."

His 直面する was grey; the 表現 was changed now into one of terrible 圧倒的な 恐れる. He tried to draw his wife to the door, but she resisted him, she 解放する／自由なd herself resolutely, and turned again to the 探偵，刑事.

"I—I killed the man," she cried feverishly. "Are you taking it 負かす／撃墜する? Don't you understand?"

"Not やめる, Lady Carew," replied the plain-spoken 探偵，刑事. "Why should you kill this man?"

Judith put her 手渡す to her throat, she would not look at her husband's agonized 直面する.

"He—I had known him in the past"—her breath caught in cruel gasps between each word—"I thought he was dead, but he met me and 脅すd me. He ordered me to come to his flat that night. Then when I got there he 侮辱d me—he—" She paused, her 手渡すs clenching.

"Judith, Judith! for pity's sake," Sir Anthony put himself between her and the 探偵，刑事. "For Paul's sake, for my sake, for the sake of all that is past, be silent."

But even Anthony himself had receded into the background of her mind. Judith looked at him with dull, 非，不，無-seeing 注目する，もくろむs.

"I had taken one of my husband's revolvers, to 保護する myself with, and—I 発射 him—Warden—with it." She finished with a hoarse sob. "That is all. Now—now, you can 逮捕（する） me—not Sir Anthony."

The 探偵，刑事 屈服するd. "I have no 令状 to 逮捕（する） anyone at 現在の," he said stolidly. His 注目する，もくろむs were downcast, but there was a gleam of 勝利 between their 激しい lids. "When I hear definitely from Scotland Yard—"

"Ah! Yes, I see," Judith said unsteadily. She swayed with a little sobbing moan.

Sir Anthony sprang 今後 and caught her as she fell. He placed her on the couch. Then, he turned and 直面するd the 探偵，刑事—慈悲の unconsciousness had come to his 援助（する）; the 状況／情勢 was in his 手渡すs now.

"Of course you know that Lady Carew was raving," he said hoarsely. "The night of watching we have had with the child, the 苦悩 has been too much for her. She has imagined—"

視察官 Furnival let his 注目する，もくろむs 逸脱する to the unconscious form on the couch. "I told you that the 身元 of Warden's 訪問者 was known to us, sir."

Sir Anthony drew himself up. "You told me the inferences you had drawn from the circumstances as you knew them. You were 権利; I followed Lady Carew; I waited till she （機の）カム out, then I went into the flat. I quarrelled with Warden, I 脅すd to horse-whip him, he の近くにd with me and in our struggle the ピストル went off. You know the 残り／休憩（する）, and now, you must do your worst 視察官. You will understand that I am anxious that Lady Carew's 指名する should be kept out of the 事件／事情／状勢 as much as possible."

The 探偵，刑事 permitted himself to smile. "Not much chance of keeping her ladyship's 指名する out of it as 事柄s stand, sir. We should have been more likely to do so if you had been as I asked you to be, open with me from the first."

"Umph!" Sir Anthony straightened his 幅の広い shoulders. He cast one ちらりと見ること behind him at the couch, then he turned again to the 視察官. "I shall 罪を認める, you understand. So—井戸／弁護士席—you will not have much difficulty."

The 視察官 met his gaze fully.

"No! I suppose not, sir. Under the circumstances I must leave my man Barker in the house. Later on when I have heard from Scotland Yard, I will—"

"You will make the 逮捕（する）," Sir Anthony finished. "I understand. You will find me ready, 視察官!"

一時期／支部 XXVIII

"SIX, seven!" It was the clock striking from the little church on the hill. Judith opened her 注目する，もくろむs and looked about her ばく然と, the 圧迫 on her brain 妨げるd her from thinking coherently, from realizing what had happened. For a time she lay motionless; then something roused the 活動停止中の memory, the hazel 注目する，もくろむs grew dark and troubled, the curved lips twitched. Slowly Judith raised herself in bed, and gazed 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the room fearfully. Every 詳細（に述べる） of that terrible scene in the 熟考する／考慮する up to the moment she fainted was coming 支援する to her, was 存在 mentally 再生するd with the fidelity and the 正確 of a photograph. She hardly knew what she 推定する／予想するd to see as she ちらりと見ることd from the の近くにd door 主要な to Sir Anthony's apartments, to the open one of her own dressing-room, but she asked herself pitifully, was it usual to leave people alone who had 自白するd to having committed a 殺人?

What had been passing downstairs while she was unconscious? She was 抑圧するd by a vague, horrible 恐れる—the terror that had made her take upon herself the 責任／義務 for Cyril Stanmore's death hung over her and paralysed her. The 探偵，刑事 had been about to 逮捕（する） Anthony—what if he had disbelieved her, what if already Anthony was in 刑務所，拘置所?

She pulled herself to the 味方する of the bed and slipped out. Her 四肢s felt strangely weak and 激しい, almost as if they did not belong to her; 持つ／拘留するing by the furniture she made her way slowly to the other end of the room. The dressing-room was empty.

She did not forget the impulse that had bidden her to take the 罪，犯罪 in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flat on her own shoulders. Anthony had been driven mad by jealousy and 怒り／怒る; her 責任／義務 was as 広大な／多数の／重要な as though her 手渡す had 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the 致命的な 発射. It was her 有罪の silence that had led to the whole 大災害. It was 権利 that the 罰 should 落ちる upon her!

She went up to her dressing-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する mechanically and smoothed her hair. Her 注目する，もくろむs wandered over its luxurious plenishings, and 残り／休憩（する）d on the photograph of Anthony in its big silver でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる. But though she looked at the old familiar surroundings she felt a curious sense of detachment. She had done with all those things, life was over for her. Only one thing remained now—death. As she thought of death a strange fascination stole over her. It was the only way out of the 絡まる in which she had become 伴う／関わるd. Perhaps, when she was dead, in time Anthony would grow to think more kindly of her—perhaps even if she died now, they would hush things up, Paul would never hear his mother's story. She caught at this last thought feverishly. Yes! That was the only thing she could do now for the sake of the two she loved. She must die—now, to-night—before the keen-注目する，もくろむd 探偵，刑事 （機の）カム to take her away to be pilloried in a 刑事裁判所.

But how was she to die? She looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the room despairingly. Assuredly there was no means of taking her life here. There might be ピストルs in Anthony's room, but the communication door was locked. Then, like an inspiration, there recurred to her wandering mind a memory of the 冷静な／正味の waters of Heron's Moat. That would scarcely be death surely, to 沈む softly in the （疑いを）晴らす limpid ripples.

She went across to her wardrobe and drew out a dark loose cloak that would cover her all over, and a garden hat. Then she hesitated. There was a door in her dressing-room that was never used, 隠すd from 見解（をとる） by a hanging 閣僚; the 重要な of it was in her 所有／入手.

If the 探偵，刑事 was having the other door watched, he would never think of this; and from it she could make her way to the 支援する part of the house.

She 打ち明けるd the door, then paused again. Dazed and 疲れた／うんざりした though she was, it seemed to her that she must leave some word of 別れの（言葉，会） for her husband. She went 支援する to her 令状ing-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, and took a pencil and a sheet of paper and wrote quickly:

"I do not ask for forgiveness, Anthony, for it seems to me that forgiveness is 井戸／弁護士席-nigh impossible, but, if ever in the years to come you give a thought to the unhappy woman who was once your wife, try and think of her as kindly as you can for the sake of the first golden days of our love. Tell our boy as little as may be of me, only that his mother loved him very dearly, and that she is dead. I go now to make the only expiation possible for my sin; for it has been my sin all along. When you married me I let you think I was an innocent girl. I did not tell you that five years 以前 I had been married to Cyril Stanmore, the man who, as C. Warden, died in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flat. My life with him was a veritable hell; he was a libertine, a gambler, and I was his おとり, that was all. The 最高潮 （機の）カム. I 辞退するd to obey some 特に degrading 命令（する） of his, and he told me that our marriage was no marriage, that I was no wife of his! That night I left him! In my hour of direst need I met Canon Rankin. He and his wife were 親切 itself to me and I stayed with them until I （機の）カム to Heron's Carew as Peggy's governess. I had seen Cyril Stanmore's death in the papers. I never 疑問d that he was dead until he spoke to me outside St. Peter's, on the day of Geraldine Summerhouse's wedding. The 残り／休憩（する） you know. Life has been one long 拷問 to me since then, and the prospect of 残り／休憩（する） is very 甘い. I dare not ask for 容赦 from you whom I have so 深く，強烈に wronged, my dearly loved husband, but I pray you to think in the 未来 as kindly as you can of your poor lost Judith."

涙／ほころびs from her 注目する，もくろむs fell and blotted the paper; more than once she 圧力（をかける）d it to her lips. At least Anthony would see it, his 手渡すs would touch it, when she would be lying still beneath the water of the Heron's Moat. Then with another ぐずぐず残る look 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the room, at the inanimate things that had been so familiar and so dear, she opened the little door behind the hanging 閣僚, and went out into the passage.

She listened a minute, there was no sound of any living presence to be heard. She went 負かす／撃墜する slowly by the servants' staircase, 会合 no one by the way. As she reached the 味方する 入り口 at the 底（に届く）, she paused, and looked に向かって the green baize door that gave 接近 to the 前線 part of the house. If only, herself unseen, she could look upon Anthony's 直面する once more, if she could hear his dear 発言する／表明する. Then, with a gesture of despair she passed out and drew the door to behind her. Outside it was growing dusk, the grass in the park was 激しい with dew as she crossed to the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd.

It was very strange to her to think that she was treading that familiar path for the last time. She opened the little wicket that led into the 私的な path into the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd, and walked on more quickly now, looking neither to the 権利 nor left. She took no 注意する of a rustle の中で the undergrowth as she passed; she did not hear stealthy steps creeping behind her at a distance. She saw only Anthony's 直面する that seemed to smile on her, Paul's baby 手渡すs that were beckoning her on. So—only so—could she atone! The Heron's Moat looked a thing of mystery when at last she （機の）カム to it; the twilight was の近くにing in, the water was dark and turbid, not smiling and limpid as when the sun shone on it.

She left the path and walked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 辛勝する／優位 of the pool more slowly. Where should she throw herself in? Then she remembered that from the opposite 味方する, in the daylight through an 開始 の中で the trees it was possible to catch a glimpse of Heron's Carew. Perhaps even tonight, if they had lighted up...At any 率 she would go to her last long sleep with her feet turned に向かって the home she loved. She put up one last 祈り for her dear ones as she hesitated on the brink. "Help them to forget; oh, help them to forget."

For herself—for 容赦 for the 行為／法令／行動する, she was about to do, she did not pray, it seemed to her so natural, so 必然的な a thing—God, in His heaven would understand! He would know she could do nothing else. A life for a life, that had been His 法令／条例 of old.

She sprang 今後, the dark waters の近くにd over her 長，率いる; she sank, rose struggling helplessly, since she was young, and, when the earnest 目的 of her was dimmed, the strong 会社／堅い 四肢s struggled against their 運命／宿命. All the past was rising before her too: her life at the convent, that terrible year when she had been Stanmore's wife, dear memories of her and Anthony's love. Mingling with the noise and the roaring of the water in her ears there was another sound, a 広大な／多数の／重要な shouting.

But it was growing dimmer, she 中止するd to struggle, she was 沈むing again, deeper and deeper, 権利 into eternity.

一時期／支部 XXIX

"GENTLEMAN to see you, sir."

"A gentleman to see me. Didn't I tell you I was engaged?" Mr. Lennox, 偽名，通称 視察官 Furnival, looked up 怒って.

But his words （機の）カム too late. The little rosy-cheeked maidservant was already standing 支援する to 許す the tall man behind her to pass in.

"Not too much engaged to spare me a few minutes, I hope," a familiar 発言する／表明する said pleasantly.

With a quick exclamation Furnival started to his feet. "Mr. Lawrence, sir! I had no idea—"

"No idea I was in the neighbourhood," the new-comer finished for him with a smile. "井戸／弁護士席, I was not until ten minutes ago, when I arrived at the 駅／配置する. I have come 負かす／撃墜する from the 長，指導者, Furnival. He is getting impatient."

"So I gathered, sir." The 視察官 frowned as he looked at the papers on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する before him, and pulled his red 耐えるd thoughtfully.

His 訪問者 smiled a little as he watched him. Mr. Frank Lawrence was a 井戸／弁護士席-known 人物／姿／数字 in the 犯罪の 調査 Department. Though his only 公式の／役人 認めるd position was that of junior 長官 to the 長，指導者, he was 速く becoming a 力／強力にする to be reckoned with by virtue of his quick brain, of his almost uncanny 力／強力にする of seeing the 権利 path to be 追求するd through the many intricate problems 現在のd to the department. In person he was rather above the middle 高さ, of わずかな／ほっそりした build, with わずかに 一連の会議、交渉／完成するd shoulders, and a keen, dark 直面する with a high Roman nose, on which a pair of gold-rimmed 注目する，もくろむ-glasses were perched.

"Yes; the 長，指導者 is anxious to hurry things up a bit," he went on easily. "Going to ask me to sit 負かす／撃墜する, 視察官? Thanks!" 沈むing 負かす／撃墜する lazily into the 議長，司会を務める which Furnival with a word of 陳謝 drew 今後.

"Have you seen this paragraph in one of the evening papers, 視察官? I met with it on my way 負かす／撃墜する. It may 利益／興味 you. This is the sort of thing that makes the 長，指導者 mad." He 手渡すd the paper to Furnival, who read it slowly:

THE ABBEY COURT MURDER

"The extra inactivity, not to say stupidity, which the police are 展示（する）ing with regard to this 事例／患者 is exciting 全世界の／万国共通の comment. It is an open secret that the lady who visited the flat on the night of the 殺人 was very すぐに afterwards identified, and yet no steps whatever in the 事柄 appear to have been taken by the 当局. A feeling is 伸び（る）ing ground that this is not 完全に 借りがあるing to 公式の／役人 incapacity, but that strong social 影響（力） has been brought to 耐える ーするために have the 事柄 hushed up. True or not, this impression is 大いに to be regretted inasmuch as it introduces a new and disagreeable element into our public life. Hitherto, English 司法（官） has been みなすd to be beyond and above 汚職; it is to be hoped that 迅速な 活動／戦闘 in the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 事例／患者 may show that the tradition remains with us that 天罰, though slow, is sure."

Furnival threw the paper 負かす／撃墜する contemptuously. "Who would notice a rag like that?"

"No one, perhaps; if it were an 孤立するd 事例／患者!" Frank Lawrence said in his lazy drawling トンs. "But the whole 圧力（をかける） has been 十分な of such innuendoes lately. You must have seen them, 視察官?"

Furnival nodded. "Oh, yes; I have seen them, as many as I have time for. So the 長，指導者 thinks I have been negligent?"

"Scarcely; or I should not have been sent 負かす／撃墜する," Frank Lawrence 訂正するd softly. "But he does not understand why the 令状 has not been 適用するd for and the 逮捕（する） made before now."

"I didn't, want to make a fool of myself!" The 視察官's 直面する was very grim. "But the 令状 is 適用するd for now. You are just in time to be in at the finish, Mr. Lawrence. You will be able to tell the 長，指導者 it isn't やめる such plain sailing as he fancies."

Mr. Lawrence raised his eyebrows. "How do you mean?"

The 視察官 ちらりと見ることd at the clock. "It is a long story sir. And I am 予定 at Heron's Carew in half an hour. I went up there earlier this afternoon. And perhaps I need hardly tell you my men are on guard there now."

Mr. Lawrence looked momentarily astonished.

"Really! Then you may 同様に say the end is at 手渡す. I shall stay here until the 逮捕（する）."

視察官 Furnival smiled meaningly. "I 推定する／予想する the 逮捕（する） to take place to-night or to-morrow morning at the 最新の."

"I am glad to hear it," Mr. Lawrence said あわてて. "It was time it was made, Furnival, やめる time. Between ourselves, I have never known the 長，指導者 so impatient. And now I suppose we shall have what the papers call a 原因（となる） c駘饕re."

The 視察官's smile 深くするd a little. "I suppose we shall," he assented.

The younger man did not speak again for a minute or two. "It will be a nine days' wonder, the 裁判，公判," he said at last. "And no knowing how it will end after all, in spite of our 証拠. For she will fight to the bitter end of course, and the Carew 影響（力） and the Carew money will go far—"

The 視察官 pulled his sandy 耐えるd and watched the dark （疑いを）晴らす 直面する.

"Lady Carew will make no fight, sir; she 自白するd to me this afternoon."

"What!" Young Lawrence 星／主役にするd at him, for once 完全に taken aback. "Lady Carew 自白するd to you that she had committed the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人! Impossible!"

"やめる possible and やめる true!" the 視察官 断言するd. He looked across at the grandfather clock in the corner. Very soon Sir Anthony would be 推定する／予想するing him up at Heron's Carew. "As a 事柄 of fact," he 追加するd, his mouth 新たな展開ing in a curious smile, "Lady Carew's is not the only 自白 of 犯罪 I have had today in the 事柄 of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人!"

Mr. Lawrence took off his pince-nez and 星／主役にするd at him. "I can't understand you to-night, Furnival. Can't you be a little more explicit? It is impossible that you can mean that two people can have told you that they committed the 殺人 in Abbey 法廷，裁判所?"

The 視察官 nodded. "That is just what I do mean. Lady Carew says that Warden 軍隊d her by some 力／強力にする he had over her to come to his flat, that she took her husband's revolver for her 保護, and that, stung by Warden's 侮辱s, she 発射 him with it."

Lawrence's 利益／興味 manifestly quickened. "Much as the 長，指導者 has always surmised. But you said—"

"On the other 手渡す," the 視察官 went on very deliberately, "Sir Anthony Carew 明言する／公表するs that he discovered his wife was going to Warden's flat, that he followed, and watched her, and that when Lady Carew had gone he went in, quarrelled with the fellow and in his 激怒（する）—I dare say you have heard of the Carew temper, sir—he 発射 him. Sounds a likely story, doesn't it, Mr. Lawrence? And it is by no means 相いれない with our 証拠."

"But—but—" 反対するd Lawrence, wiping his brow. "They can't both be telling the truth."

Again that curious smile （機の）カム into the 視察官's 注目する，もくろむs.

"So much is self-evident, sir. The only question to my mind now is—is either of them?"

Young Lawrence's astonishment 深くするd.

"You mean—"

The 視察官 leaned 今後 confidentially.

"Lady Carew fancied that I was about to 逮捕（する） Sir Anthony when she （機の）カム 今後 with her 自白. Sir Anthony, on his part, was beside himself with 恐れる at the 危険，危なくする in which his wife was placed, when he took the 責任／義務 of the 罪，犯罪 on his own shoulders. Therefore the 状況／情勢 stands thus: Lady Carew says that she is 有罪の; Sir Anthony says he is—each, as far as I can 裁判官, believing the other to be. Now do you see the position of 事件／事情／状勢s? Each is trying to save the other."

"But—" Mr. Lawrence rubbed his 手渡す through his hair. "I don't understand, Furnival. Which of them is 有罪の?"

The 視察官 looked at him. "Neither of them," he said curtly. "If each of them thinks the other is, doesn't that 証明する to you that both of them are innocent? Oh, it hasn't been as 平易な a 仕事 as you folks at Scotland Yard 推定する／予想するd, to get to the 底（に届く） of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺人." He got up, looked at his watch, and compared it with the grandfather's clock. "I am afraid I must be starting, sir. I 約束d to be at Heron's Carew, by eight, and I don't want to keep Sir Anthony waiting."

Mr. Lawrence rose too. "I will walk up with you. If this is your opinion, 視察官, how is it that you told me just now that you were about to 適用する for a 令状 for the 逮捕（する） of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺害者?"

"That I had 適用するd," the 探偵，刑事 訂正するd, as he opened the door 主要な into the garden, and they went 負かす／撃墜する the path.

"But whose 逮捕（する） have you 適用するd for?" Lawrence questioned, as they unlatched the garden gate, and let themselves out into the village street.

"Whose?" The 視察官 ちらりと見ることd on either 味方する of him, behind and before. "Ah, that is my little secret for the 現在の, sir. You will soon know all."

They walked on briskly. The church clock chimed eight, the 視察官 quickened his step. "I was afraid we were late. We will take the short 削減（する） through the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd if you don't mind, Mr. Lawrence."

As they passed the Dower House they heard 発言する／表明するs, and caught a momentary sight of Peggy and Crasster pacing up and 負かす／撃墜する the 運動 together. The 視察官's 直面する brightened as he looked after them.

It was 公正に／かなり light in the street, but in the Home 支持を得ようと努めるd it seemed almost dark. The two men walked along quickly, their feet making little sound on the pine-needle covered path.

As they （機の）カム 近づく the Heron's Moat they became aware of footsteps coming from the opposite direction. A man was running, sprinting as if for dear life, に向かって them; at the same moment 視察官 Furnival caught sight of a tall 人物／姿／数字 in a dark gown on the other 味方する of the pool. He started 今後 with a quick exclamation of 狼狽.

同時に, there was a splash, a loud cry rang out. The tall 人物／姿／数字 had disappeared beneath the waters of the pool. 視察官 Furnival ran for all he was 価値（がある）, the man who had been racing 負かす／撃墜する the path に向かって them ran too. But some one was before them, some one who sprang into the pool, and, as they reached the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, 再現するd, 持つ／拘留するing an inanimate 重荷（を負わせる）, endeavouring to keep her 長，率いる above water.

With a sharp cry the man who had been running, 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするing off his coat as he ran, threw himself into the water, and swam to the other's help. 視察官 Furnival and Mr. Lawrence, racing their hardest, arrived on the scene in time to 補助装置 at the 上陸.

The two men who had been in the water, and whom Furnival now 認めるd as Sir Anthony Carew and his own subordinate, Barker, laid their inanimate 重荷（を負わせる） on the bank. Judith's 直面する was white, her 注目する，もくろむs were の近くにd, her golden hair lay dank on the grass. Sir Anthony bent over her in agony.

"She—she can't be dead!"

"No, no!" the 視察官 said soothingly. "She was not under the water a minute. I have had some experience of first 援助（する）. If you would let me come nearer." He stooped over her. "She has fainted from the shock, that is all," he said 静かに. "There is a keeper's cottage の近くに at 手渡す, Sir Anthony, we had better take her there, and the man can fetch Dr. Bennett."

Sir Anthony assented dumbly. His heart had given a 広大な／多数の／重要な 窒息させるing 新たな展開 of 救済 at 審理，公聴会 that Judith lived. And yet assuredly, Anthony Carew said to himself, as he gathered her unconscious form in his 武器 and, 辞退するing all other help, strode off with her to the cottage, it would have been 井戸／弁護士席 for Judith if by any means she could have escaped the calamity that was coming upon them.

As they 近づくd the gamekeeper's he felt the ぱたぱたするing of her breath, her eyelids wavered, then opened, the lovely 注目する，もくろむs looked up into his.

"Anthony!" she said.

Spite of all his dread of the 未来, his horror of the past, his heart leapt with thankfulness to hear the beloved 発言する／表明する again. He bent his 長，率いる lower.

"Judith, my darling."

A faint colour flickered for a moment in the white cheeks. "Am—am I dead?" she questioned. "Is this heaven, Anthony? Do you 許す me for—"

Anthony 圧力（をかける）d his lips to the fair hair. "Everything, my darling."

"It is my fault—all of it. If I had not dropped the paper that told you where I was going; if I had not taken your ピストル," the weak 発言する／表明する went on, unheeding the look of astonishment that spread over her husband's 直面する as she proceeded, "you would not have been tempted; you could not have used it against him!"

A strange sound burst from Anthony Carew as he laid her on the couch in the keeper's 前線 room.

"Judith! Does this mean that you think I was 有罪の?"

"I—I never 非難するd you," she returned incoherently. "Oh, Anthony!"

There was a strange glad light in Sir Anthony Carew's 直面する as the gamekeeper's wife, with her willing helpers, took 所有／入手 of Judith. "She thought I was 有罪の," he repeated to himself. "Then surely she, she was—she must be innocent."

一時期／支部 XXX

IT was one of those chilly mornings that come いつかs in 早期に autumn. The white もや from the park seemed to rise like a 棺／かげり 権利 up to the window of the morning-room at Heron's Carew; a 有望な 解雇する／砲火／射撃 燃やすd in the grate, making the 天候 outside look more damp and cheerless by contrast. Lady Carew was leaning 支援する in her favourite low reclining 議長，司会を務める 近づく the 解雇する／砲火／射撃-place; Sir Anthony was standing on the hearthrug. The 前線 door bell rang, their 注目する，もくろむs met in a smile of perfect 信用／信任. Then Judith began to shiver.

"Oh, Anthony, I am 脅すd! Do you think they really know who 発射 Cyril? I don't see how they can I—Suppose—suppose they are only trying to make us 罪を負わせる ourselves?"

Sir Anthony's 直面する was a little overclouded. "I can't tell, dear. But I feel inclined to 信用 視察官 Furnival, and he tells me that if we speak out we have nothing to 恐れる. Anyhow, the truth must be the best 政策, and, at any 率, we both know that the worst dread of all that has haunted each of us these past terrible months has been only a delusion; don't we, Judith?"

"Yes, yes!" she whispered, looking up at him with dewy 注目する，もくろむs. "Oh, Anthony! How could I have been so foolish?"

He caught his breath. "You couldn't help it. How I—" He broke off as three men were 勧めるd into the room: Stephen Crasster, 視察官 Furnival, and Mr. Lawrence.

Sir Anthony 迎える／歓迎するd them all courteously, and 招待するd them to be seated.

"Lady Carew and I have decided to take your advice," he began, 演説（する）／住所ing Furnival. "We will tell you our story—our stories, rather—without any 保留（地）／予約. And, if you can find any （法などの）抜け穴 to help us; I am sure we need not 保証する you of our boundless 感謝. I think we are all here now—except Mrs. Rankin. Ah, here she is!" He opened the door.

Mrs. Rankin's comely 直面する was pale and anxious. She went over and took the seat Sir Anthony drew up for her, 近づく Lady Carew, and clasped Judith's 手渡す in hers. Crasster stood by Sir Anthony on the hearthrug. Furnival and Lawrence 占領するd seats nearer the door, placed so that they had a good 見解（をとる） of the 直面するs of the other three.

"If Lady Carew will begin—" Furnival said, ちらりと見ることing at Sir Anthony.

The firelight gleamed on Judith's delicate 直面する, shone on the 集まりs of pale gold hair, gave for a moment a fictitious colour to the transparent 肌. She drew herself up の中で her cushions, を締めるing herself for the ordeal that を待つd her. Her fingers caught convulsively at Mrs. Rankin's 手渡す, her 注目する，もくろむs sought Anthony's. It was to him she was telling the tale, it was to him that she must vindicate herself! Her 発言する／表明する was very low and trembling when she began, it gathered strength as she went on.

"I was very young when I married Cyril Stanmore, 完全に in ignorance of his real character, and so friendless that I had no one to 警告する me that he was only a professional gambler. Our quarrels arose from the fact that when I did discover how his money was 得るd I 辞退するd to help him to be a party to his 計画／陰謀s.

"Everything 最高潮に達するd on the night he told me I had never been his wife at all, that our marriage had been 違法な. That night I left him for ever. Chance had made me 熟知させるd with Canon Rankin. I knew his kindly character. I told him my 哀れな story, and 控訴，上告d to him for help. He took me to his own home, placed me in Mrs. Rankin's care, and 約束d to find me work.

"Finally he 示唆するd that I should 行為／法令／行動する as his daughter's governess until I had had time to live 負かす／撃墜する the past, to 得る a 満足な 言及／関連 for the 未来. How 肉親，親類d both he and Mrs. Rankin were to me in that terrible time no words of 地雷 could ever tell! Finally, when there was no more work for me with them, they procured me an 約束／交戦 at Heron's Carew. When I was going to marry Sir Anthony Carew, I did not tell them, because I knew that they would want me to tell him the secret of the past, and I couldn't—I couldn't put my happiness away from me with my own 手渡すs. I had heard, as I believed, of Cyril Stanmore's death before I left Canon Rankin's, therefore, his sudden 外見 on the steps of St. Peter's, was a 二塁打 shock to me. When he ordered me to come to his flat I was too bewildered to know what I せねばならない do—too 圧倒するd to do anything but obey. When I got there—I had taken my husband's ピストル to 保護する myself with—he, Stanmore, mocked at me, took it from me, and threw it 負かす／撃墜する. Then I rubbed against the switch, and put out the electric light. In the 不明瞭 a 発射 was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d, I heard a 落ちる and a groan. It was a long time before I could find the switch, but I could hear some one in the room, some one breathing ひどく—"

She paused and drank feverishly some water that Mrs. Rankin 手渡すd to her. Then with a shuddering ちらりと見ること 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the circle of expectant 直面するs, she went on.

"When I did find the light," she whispered, "there was no one there but Cyril Stanmore and myself. When I saw that he was dead I was too terrified to do anything, or give the alarm. No one would believe me, I thought; everybody would think I had 発射 him. I hurried away."

Her 発言する／表明する sank into silence.

視察官 Furnival had been busy making 公式文書，認めるs in his pocket-調書をとる／予約する; he looked up now.

"You were not alone when you left the 封鎖する of flats, Lady Carew; a man （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する the stairs with you?" he paused suggestively.

Judith looked at him with wide-open, amazed 注目する，もくろむs. "You know that too. But he—I met him on the stairs outside the flat; he had known me in the old time—and he turned with me and walked with me to the 入り口."

A spasm of 恐れる that momentarily contorted her 直面する, that caught her throat, making her 発言する／表明する husky and 乾燥した，日照りの, did not escape the sharp-witted 視察官's notice.

"Will you tell us his 指名する, Lady Carew. Can you say why, when the police were searching high and low to discover the 身元 of the 訪問者 to the flat, he did not come 今後 to say he had met you?"

There was a long pause. Judith's 注目する，もくろむs turned about from 味方する to 味方する. The 視察官 waited, 持つ／拘留するing his pencil pointed over his notebook. Mrs. Rankin's mouth quivered painfully as she chafed the 冷淡な 手渡す she held. At last Lady Carew spoke.

"I suppose he was sorry for me!" she said faintly. "He had been a 広大な／多数の／重要な friend of Stanmore's in the old time. I—I used to think then that he made Stanmore worse, that he was his evil genius, but perhaps—when he knew what had happened that night—he was sorry for me!"

"His 指名する?" the 視察官 questioned, 令状ing 速く.

Judith hesitated again; she put up her handkerchief to her lips, she ちらりと見ることd across at Anthony. He was not looking at her.

"I—I knew him as Jermyn Leigh," she stammered at last.

"And you parted from him at the 入り口 to the flats, you say?" the 視察官 went on quickly. "You must 容赦 my putting these questions, Lady Carew; if this 絡まる is ever to be straightened out, we must have the truth and the whole truth now. Have you ever seen this man—Jermyn Leigh—since he left you that night?"

"Y—es!" the word fell across the listening silence.

Sir Anthony stood perfectly motionless. Crasster gave a quick inaudible exclamation as he leaned 今後.

The 視察官 waited. "Where?" he questioned at last. "In London, or since you （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する to Heron's Carew?"

"Since we （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する to Heron's Carew!" She seemed to repeat his words mechanically. "Yes, yes, he is here, though I never thought—I never dreamt of such a thing till I saw him—" Her 発言する／表明する failed her; she caught her breath.

"Ah, yes," the 視察官 assented. "The 指名する by which he is known here, please."

Judith looked at him; for a minute her lips seemed to move inaudibly.

"He is Lord Chesterham."

"Chesterham!" The exclamation burst from Crasster.

Sir Anthony did not 動かす; Mrs. Rankin, as if moved by some sudden impulse of pity, leaned 今後 and kissed Judith's pale cheek.

A little 満足させるd smile played 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 視察官's mouth as he made another 入ること／参加（者） in his 調書をとる／予約する.

"He would 認める you when he met you 負かす／撃墜する here of course?"

"Oh yes, yes; he knew me!" Judith said faintly. "He 約束d to keep silence if—if I would not try to stop his marriage," she went on feverishly. "But now—now I can't any longer."

"Thank you, I think that is all for the 現在の." The 視察官 wore a curiously 勝利を得た 表現 as he looked up. "Sir Anthony, will you gives us your help? Please tell us what you know of the night's doings."

Sir Anthony ちらりと見ることd up.

"It is so; little I know, as I told you, 視察官. I 選ぶd up a paper that Lady Carew dropped, having on it Warden's 演説（する）／住所, and the hour at which she was to be at the flat. いつかs now, it seems to me, looking 支援する, that the very 疑惑 that my wife had made an 任命 with another man drove me mad. I went to the flats at the time 指名するd; I waited in a doorway opposite, and I saw my wife go in, and come out again after some time. Then I went in. A man was standing in the vestibule; it struck me that he was watching Lady Carew, he was smiling to himself as he looked after her, but I had only a very cursory glimpse of him. I went up to the flat, but, of course, I could not get in. Of the 悲劇 itself I know nothing."

"Did you 認める Chesterham as the man who was standing in the vestibule watching Lady Carew?" Crasster asked 熱望して. It was the first time he had spoken.

Sir Anthony shook his 長，率いる.

"I cannot say that I did, though I have いつかs felt that his 直面する was ばく然と familiar. But as I say, it was only a glimpse I had of him that night. Can we help you any その上の, 視察官?"

"A little, I think, sir." 視察官 Furnival drew a paper from his pocket and 熟考する／考慮するd it in silence for a minute or two. "If Lady Carew will kindly answer a few questions? The dress you wore that night has been placed in the 手渡すs of the police by your late maid, C駘estine, Lady Carew. There are splashes of 血 on the bodice that must have come from the 殺人d man and the skirt is stained with 署名／調印する. How do you account for this?"

"I—I tried to raise him—Stanmore—in my 武器," Judith 滞るd. Her 発言する／表明する wavered and broke. The very 成果／努力 of speaking of it brought 支援する the whole terrible scene before her 注目する，もくろむs. "And—and—when he threw the ピストル on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する he upset the inkstand; I tried to get it 支援する; that is how the 署名／調印する must have got on my dress."

"Ah! The 署名／調印する was on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する with the ピストル," the 視察官 commented with a far-away look in his 注目する，もくろむs. "One more question, Lady Carew. There was a blue 星／主役にする on Stanmore's wrist." Judith bent her 長，率いる in assent. "Were you aware that there was a 類似の 示す on the wrist of the man whom you knew as Jermyn Leigh?"

Judith's 直面する grew strangely white, her 注目する，もくろむs ちらりと見ることd obliquely 一連の会議、交渉／完成する as though 抑圧するd by some horrible 恐れる.

"I—I never saw one—I did not think he had one." A hoarse sob rose in her throat.

The 視察官 went on 明らかに scrawling hieroglyphics in his pocket-調書をとる／予約する. Lawrence and Crasster knew that his look, his very silence, betokened that he was 満足させるd.

Nobody spoke for a minute or two, as if by ありふれた 同意. Every one 避けるd looking at the agonized 直面する of the woman in the big 議長，司会を務める. Lawrence ちらりと見ることd at Crasster, some faint foreshadowing of what was coming upon him, unreal, fantastical, as must appear the happenings it 伴う／関わるd. 視察官 Furnival ちらりと見ることd at Mrs. Rankin. "You have nothing more to tell us, I think?"

"No," she answered with a little catch in her breath. "Only that on Tuesday before the 殺人 Stanmore called on us and asked us if we could tell him where Lady Carew was to be 設立する. We 拒絶する／低下するd to give him any （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） of course, and he went away asking us if we should hear of her later, to let him know at the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flats, where he told us he was staying under the 指名する of Charles Warden."

The 視察官 tapped his notebook thoughtfully. "Did he tell you why he was anxious to find Lady Carew?"

Mrs. Rankin shook her 長，率いる.

"No その上の than that he said he had come 支援する to England to （人命などを）奪う，主張する some 広大な／多数の／重要な 相続物件 that had fallen to him, and we gathered that he wished her to 株 it with him."

"Um! Um!" The 視察官s did not speak for a minute or two, then he looked up suddenly. "Did he give you any notion of the sort of 相続物件 to which he had 後継するd?"

"No—no," Mrs. Rankin said slowly, "その上の than that he spoke as if it meant 階級 同様に as wealth. But I think he was too much excited to talk coherently, and we, of course, were only too anxious to get rid of him.

"自然に!" the 視察官 assented. "井戸／弁護士席, I don't think we need trouble you any その上の to-day."

Mrs. Rankin sat 支援する in her 議長，司会を務める with an audible sigh of 救済.

Sir Anthony looked at the 探偵，刑事. "Can you help us, Furnival, or are we too hopelessly in the 苦境に陥る?"

"I think I shall be able to do something, Sir Anthony." The 視察官 ちらりと見ることd over what he had written, then he の近くにd the 調書をとる／予約する and fastened it. "But before we go any その上の I should 示唆する Lady Carew goes to her room. I am sure Mrs. Rankin will agree with me that it is the best thing for her."

"They—they do believe me, Anthony?" she said piteously, as her husband （機の）カム 今後 and drew her arm through his.

The 視察官 took the answer upon himself.

"井戸／弁護士席, I do, for one, Lady Carew," he said heartily. "And later on Sir Anthony will tell you the 指名する of the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 殺害者."

"Thank you!" Judith murmured brokenly. She felt strangely bewildered, scarcely able even to think. All she could realize was that there was hope at last, hope that the awful 黒人／ボイコット cloud that had brooded over Heron's Carew for so long was going to be dissipated.

Her husband half-supported, half-carried her to her room, and then, whispering soothing words, he left her to Mrs. Rankin's care, and went 支援する to the morning-room. The three men had their 長，率いるs の近くに together when he entered. He fancied that Crasster looked strangely 乱すd.

"Excuse me, Sir Anthony," murmured the 視察官. He went across to the window, and, throwing it open, put his 長，率いる out with a curious whistling sound, like a bird's cry. It was answered from the bushes on the other 味方する of the terrace. He stepped 支援する and の近くにd the window.

"It is all 権利," he 観察するd enigmatically. "You are going to have a 訪問者, Sir Anthony. I hear a car in the 運動."

"A 訪問者!" Sir Anthony stepped to the bell.

"許す him to be 認める, please, Sir Anthony," said the 視察官. "I fancy it is one whose 証拠 may be very germane to the 事例／患者."

Sir Anthony started.

"Germane to the 事例／患者! I don't see—"

"One moment, Sir Anthony!"

The 視察官 held up his 手渡す.

The bell pealed loudly, they heard the old butler open the door, a murmured colloquy, then Sir Anthony's 直面する altered.

"Chesterham! Ah, of course his 証言—"

"Will 供給（する） the 行方不明の link!" the 視察官 finished.

"正確に／まさに." Sir Anthony opened the door. "Ah, Chesterham, we were just speaking of you. Come in."

Chesterham was distinctly paler than usual, his 直面する looked anxious and worried.

"I only heard half an hour ago of the 事故 that happened to Lady Carew last night," he began, 前進するing to 会合，会う Sir Anthony. "I 信用 its gravity has been 誇張するd. How is she? I—" He broke off as he saw the men behind Sir Anthony.

視察官 Furnival stepped 今後. Sir Anthony with a puzzled 表現 moved aside.

"You do not 乱す us, Lord Chesterham!" the 視察官 発言／述べるd suavely. "As Sir Anthony said, we were just speaking of you. You can 供給（する） 正確に／まさに the 証拠 we want!"

"証拠! I don't understand you!" Chesterham's 直面する darkened as he spoke, and he drew 支援する. "I （機の）カム here to speak to Sir Anthony Carew," he 追加するd with an 仮定／引き受けること of hauteur that brought a slight smile to the 視察官's lips.

At the same time there was a knock at the 前線 door. Furnival 調印するd to the butler to open it. A couple of men in dark 着せる／賦与するs entered and stood on the mat. As soon as they were 公正に／かなり inside, the 視察官 前進するd に向かって the astonished Chesterham.

"Ronald 物陰／風下, 偽名，通称 Jermyn Leigh, 偽名，通称 Viscount Chesterham, I 逮捕（する） you for the wilful 殺人 of Cyril Stanmore, Lord Chesterham, at the Abbey 法廷，裁判所 flats on the night of April — 19—. And it is my 義務 to 警告する you that anything you say in answer to the 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 will be taken 負かす／撃墜する in 令状ing and may be used against you."

He drew his 手渡す from his pocket, something of steel dangling from it suggestively.

For an instant, it seemed to the lookers-on that Chesterham visibly cowered and shrank, the next he had to some extent pulled himself together.

"You must be mad!" he said loudly. "Stark, 星／主役にするing mad! When you hear that the 訪問者 to Stanmore's flat on the night of the 殺人 was—"

"We have been aware of that lady's 身元 from the first." The 視察官's トン was ominously 静かな. "Your game has been a bold one, Mr. 物陰／風下, but I think it is played out now. I shall have to trouble you to come with me to the police 駅／配置する at Caversham. One of my men will get a conveyance from the Carew 武器, or if you would prefer to use your—I should say Lord Chesterham's—モーター, perhaps it would be better!"

Chesterham's 注目する，もくろむs wandered slowly 一連の会議、交渉／完成する from the pale shocked 直面するs of Sir Anthony Carew and Stephen Crasster, to the 視察官's keen 警報 countenance and to his solid-looking assistants behind. Then he drew something from his pocket, something that gleamed in the light. The next instant there was a 発射, a sharp exclamation from the 視察官, and the men gathered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the prostrate 人物／姿／数字 on the 床に打ち倒す. Furnival was the first to look up.

"The fool I was not to think of this! But he has 行方不明になるd his 目的（とする）—it is nothing but a flesh 負傷させる in the 厚い part of the 脚; I can manage to dress it for the 現在の, and we will call in at Dr. Bennett's as we go through the village."

一時期／支部 XXXI

"COMMITTED for 裁判，公判, is he? 井戸／弁護士席, they couldn't do much else!"

It was the 判決 of Mrs. Curtis, at the Carew 武器, as she watched the （人が）群がる 注ぐing 負かす／撃墜する the village street.

Carew village had never known such excitement within the memory of man. Lord Chesterham, in some 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の way, had turned out not to be Lord Chesterham at all, but Ronald 物陰／風下, whom many of the 村人s remembered as a child, and, as if this news was not thrilling enough, he had been brought before the 治安判事s that morning 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d with having 殺人d somebody—the true Lord Chesterham, some people said it was—up in London.

He had 試みる／企てるd to commit 自殺 too, and had been carried into 法廷，裁判所 that morning with his 脚 列d in 包帯s. Small wonder was there that there had not been standing room in the 治安判事s' 法廷，裁判所—that the whole 全住民 of the neighbourhood seemed to have turned out, eager to learn all that there was to be learned of this astonishing story.

視察官 Furnival （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する the street with Stephen Crasster.

"I congratulate you, 視察官," Crasster was 説, as they 近づくd the Carew 武器. "You have done a difficult piece of work marvellously 井戸／弁護士席. I wonder what it was that first gave you the 手がかり（を与える） that enabled you to straighten out the 絡まる?"

The 視察官 pondered a minute, his 手渡す on the garden gate.

"I think it was the blue 星／主役にする of the Chesterhams! But I must 前提 that I never believed Lady Carew 有罪の. Though very soon it was a 事柄 of certainty with me that she was Warden's mysterious 訪問者, I felt a premonition all along that Warden's 殺害者 must be searched for どこかよそで. The blue 星／主役にする made me feel sure that there was some 関係 between Warden and the Chesterhams too."

"It seems a very slight thing to have led to so momentous a 結論," Crasster said thoughtfully. "I can't make out how you guessed the man to be an impostor, either. I say 視察官, I think I will come in with you for a minute or two"—as he became suddenly aware that their colloquy was exciting an unusual 量 of 利益／興味 from the passers-by—"we shall have a （人が）群がる 一連の会議、交渉／完成する us in no time if we stand here."

"By all means, sir." The 視察官 stood 支援する. "It is not often the folks 負かす／撃墜する here get anything like this to talk about," he 追加するd as he shut the gate.

They did not enter the house, but walked up and 負かす／撃墜する the garden paths.

"You want to know what made me think him an impostor, sir?" the 視察官 went on. "井戸／弁護士席, when the idea first occurred to me I had nothing to go on but guesswork. His friendship for the 物陰／風下s was the first 限定された thing I had to put me on the 跡をつける. I had the 楽しみ of '補助装置ing' at one of his interviews with old Betty, as our French 隣人s say, and that was enough to show me that she, at any 率, 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd a mystery. Then I could find no trace of anyone who might have been Warden の中で the Chesterham collaterals. Although his likeness to them, 同様に as the blue 星／主役にする, 証明するd that he must have been 関係のある. The only 非合法の 子孫 of whom I could find any 限定された trace was young Ronald 物陰／風下, and he had no blue 星／主役にする. Later I 設立する that young 物陰／風下 had a passion for tattooing, and also from his gipsy 親族s he had learned many tricks of colouring. I became sure that one of them, either Warden or the man called Lord Chesterham, had ふりをするd the 星／主役にする, and, on the whole, it didn't seem to me it was so likely to be the dead man. The impersonation 供給（する）d the 動機 for the 殺人, you see."

"As one can't 疑問 after to-day's 証拠," Crasster assented. "The 殺人 must have been premeditated, 視察官.

"Distinctly," the 視察官 agreed. "He had discovered that Lady Carew was to be there, and laid his 計画（する）s accordingly, so the 疑惑 should turn upon her. There can be no 疑問 that he was waiting in the outer room to 遂行する his 目的; the 偶発の turning out of the light gave him his 適切な時期, and he 即時に availed himself of it. He must then have gone out of the flat and watched. He met Lady Carew on the stairs designedly, to 脅す her, to show her that she was in his 力／強力にする; and when he had left her he went 支援する to the flat, having 以前 供給するd himself with a 重要な—you remember the wax on the lock—and took all the papers that 証明するd Stanmore to be the 相続人 to the peerage of Chesterham. He 信用d to his knowledge of the family history, and his undoubted likeness to the Chesterhams, to enable him to carry out the 残り／休憩（する）. It was a diabolical 計画／陰謀, and might have 後継するd, but that he gave himself away over the ピストル. Undoubtedly he left it in the flat to 巻き込む Sir Anthony or Lady Carew. He had forgotten that when he 選ぶd it up there was 署名／調印する on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する-cloth, that some of it got on his 手渡すs, and that therefore his finger-prints were left on the revolver. That was what turned my 疑惑 into a certainty. When I 適用するd to him for a 令状 later I managed to upset some 署名／調印する, and 得る some impressions of his thumb and fingers. They corresponded with those on the revolver, and thus 事実上 clinched the 事柄."

"井戸／弁護士席, it has been a pretty smart thing," 結論するd Crasster. "And it will be a feather in your cap for years to come, 視察官. There are not many men who could have （疑いを）晴らすd up the mystery as you have. Bless my life"—with a sudden change of トン, as they suddenly turned a corner—"who is this?"

A woman stood before them on the path, a small scarlet fury of a woman, her little piquante 直面する distorted with 激怒（する）, her 黒人／ボイコット 注目する，もくろむs 炎ing. The 視察官 cast one ちらりと見ること at her, and then, distinguished police officer though he was, looked as though he was about to run away.

But C駘estine placed herself 直接／まっすぐに in 前線 of him.

"Good day to you, Meestare Lennox—or 視察官 Furnival," she said, subduing her shaking 発言する／表明する to accents of ironic politeness. "So it is a—井戸／弁護士席 what you call—police officer you are, after all!"

Crasster with difficulty repressed a smile; the 視察官's 直面する 脅すd to become a 巡査 colour.

"That is it, mademoiselle," he 答える／応じるd, with a gallant 試みる／企てる to appear at his 緩和する.

C駘estine 二塁打d up her little 黒人／ボイコット-gloved 握りこぶし.

"And the things you collect," she went on with a catch in her breath, "they are poor silly women's secrets—and their hearts. Ah! ah! is it not so, Monsieur Lennox?"

But the 視察官 was pulling himself together now.

"Their secrets perhaps," he said with a little hard laugh. "We poor police officers 港／避難所't much time to think of other things, mademoiselle."

審理，公聴会 the new 公式文書，認める in his 発言する／表明する, C駘estine 星／主役にするd at him in astonishment for a minute: then to his びっくり仰天 she burst into 涙／ほころびs.

"Oh it is hard—hard!" she sobbed. "You are a very cruel man, Mr. Lennox. You have broke my heart just to amuse yourself to find out my little secrets. And now what am I to do? No lady will take me for her maid again. Oh, yes, you have 廃虚d me and broke my heart!"

The 視察官 wiped his brow. "Mademoiselle—"

Crasster ちらりと見ることd at him. "Let me speak to her, 視察官. Oh, I don't think your heart is broken, mademoiselle!" he said in a bantering トン. "Unless it is at the 運命／宿命 that has overtaken your friend, Lord Chesterham. That must have been a delightful walk you took with him in the Lount 支持を得ようと努めるd the other day."

C駘estine flashed a wrathful ちらりと見ること at him from beneath the 影をつくる／尾行する of her lace-trimmed handkerchief.

"I do not know what you mean, monsieur!" she said.

"Don't you?" Crasster questioned, still smiling. "I think you will remember presently, mademoiselle. I was taking a short 削減（する） through the 支持を得ようと努めるd, and it happened that I was behind you and the 囚人 who was brought before the 治安判事 to-day. I saw—"

"Ah!—you are a devil! I hate you!" C駘estine burst 前へ／外へ, her whole でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる shaking with fury, her 注目する，もくろむs 炎ing.

"Do you? I am sorry for that!" Crasster said coldly, "but you will 許す me by and by, mademoiselle, when you realize that your friend the 視察官 is guiltless in the 事柄 of breaking hearts. And as for another 状況／情勢, why I am sure Lady Palmer will be pleased to do all she can to help you to get one. It will be the least she can do, since you tried so hard to help her when you were at Heron's Carew."

"Ah, ah!" with a moan like some 負傷させるd animal, C駘estine 星／主役にするd at him for a moment, then she turned her 支援する on them, and flew 負かす／撃墜する the path, a small トルネード，竜巻 of wrath.

"Phew!" The 視察官 took off his cap and rubbed his forehead. "That was an ぎこちない ４半期/4分の1 of an hour, sir. If it hadn't been for you—"

"井戸／弁護士席, I have no scruples, in 取引，協定ing with C駘estine," Crasster laughed. "She was perfectly willing to sell her mistress to anyone. She was carrying on an underhand flirtation with that scoundrel 物陰／風下, or Chesterham, and doubtless giving him （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）, which he could use for his own 目的s; and certainly at one time she was in Lady Palmer's 支払う／賃金, and that lady is, as we know, anything but a friend of Lady Carew. Oh, I don't think you have anything to reproach yourself with, 視察官."

* * *

Sir Anthony Carew led his wife, at the の近くに of the 訴訟／進行s at the police 法廷，裁判所, from the seat she had 占領するd between the Dowager Lady Carew and Mrs. Rankin, to their own carriage. As he took his place beside her, he saw that she was very pale, that every line in her 態度 spoke of utter exhaustion. Though every impulse was bidding him to take her in his 武器, tell her that he would 持つ／拘留する her thus against all the world, the whiteness and the weariness of her seemed to forbid it.

She did not open her 注目する，もくろむs, or move unless it were to 縮む その上の from him into her corner, as he looked at her, and for very pity her husband forebore to speak. That day's ordeal had been terrible to her he knew, though the 親切 of the 治安判事s and the counsel had 最小限に減らすd it as far as might be. Though the nature of the tie that had bound her to Stanmore had not yet become ありふれた 所有物／資産／財産, he knew that it must be 必然的に 公表する／暴露するd at the 裁判，公判, and the knowledge was gall and wormwood to him.

Yet his thought now was not of his sullied pride, of the 不名誉 she had brought upon his 指名する, but of her, his wife, the woman he loved, lying there before him, humbled to the very dust, her fair beauty dimmed, the very life of her seemingly quenched. His touch was very tender as the carriage stopped before the door of Heron's Carew, and he helped her up the steps and across the wide low hall into the 製図／抽選-room. A 広大な／多数の／重要な roomy Chesterfield stood before the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and he placed her in it, propped her up with pillows. Then, seeing her wanness, her utter exhaustion, he went himself and brought ワイン and delicate 挟むs, and 説得するd her to eat and drink, not 残り／休憩（する）ing until he had seen a fair 量 swallowed and a faint tinge of colour coming 支援する to the white cheeks and lips.

As she gave him 支援する the glass, and lay 欠如（する） in her cushions, he bent over her.

"Judith!"

The big 注目する，もくろむs, looking almost 黒人／ボイコット in the 影をつくる／尾行する, ちらりと見ることd up at him for one moment, then 隠すd themselves in their long 攻撃するs, her breath quickened. "Is it really true that you—that I am—"

He knelt 負かす／撃墜する beside her, and took the weak 手渡す, on which her wedding （犯罪の）一味 shone, in his. "It is 確かな , Judith. I put Shapcote on, and there can be no 疑問 that Cyril Stanmore"—he gulped over the 指名する—"married an actress, one Phyllis 支持する／優勝者, when he was a young fellow, not one and twenty, and she was living a year ago. Therefore there can be no 疑問. You are my wife—you have always been my wife!"

"Your wife!" Judith stirred restlessly and turned her 直面する に向かって the sofa cushions. "Anthony, what can I say? I am not worthy—it is only for Paul's sake—and yet how can I be glad when I remember that but for this you would be 解放する／自由な—you could begin again."

"Begin again!" Anthony had 逮捕（する）d both the small 冷淡な 手渡すs now, he chafed them, laying them against his heart. "How should I begin again, child? What do you mean?"

Judith's 長，率いる was very low now; her golden hair dropped on the cushions.

"I thought perhaps you were sorry you had married me before—" she said painfully. "When Sybil Palmer—" in answer to his 尋問 exclamation.

There was a moment's silence; then Judith 設立する her 武器 drawn 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her husband's neck. "Sybil Palmer!" he repeated, with a contemptuous laugh. "I never knew you had heard that story, Judith. Yes, I thought myself very fond of Sybil in the old days, but I know now that it was never real love at all, never for a day. And now—now, surely my wife knows that the world 持つ／拘留するs only one woman for me."

A soft ray of light was stealing over Judith's white 直面する now, and yet it seemed too good to be true. Her 武器 slackened their 持つ／拘留する.

"You will never be able to 許す me for deceiving you."

Sir Anthony drew her slight form to his breast. He laid his 直面する against the gleaming hair. "There is no need for forgiveness between us sweetheart," he said tenderly. "But," as he felt her quick movement, "if there were—if you had done anything that in any way wronged me, don't you know that a man 許すs anything—everything to—"

Judith was 残り／休憩（する）ing now against his 幅の広い chest, her cheek 圧力（をかける）d against the rough cloth of his coat, her hair lying across his shoulder in glittering disorder, her soft white 武器 twined 一連の会議、交渉／完成する his throat. She trembled as she lay there, as she heard the quiver in his strong 発言する／表明する.

"Yes, he 許すs everything to whom, Anthony?" she questioned softly.

He stooped nearer, drew her closely to him in his strong 武器, laid his lips tenderly, passionately on hers. "To the woman he loves," he whispered. "Didn't you know that Judith, my darling, my wife."

一時期／支部 XXXII

DECEMBER though it was, the 空気／公表する was lush and moist, there were little にわか雨 of rain in the 勝利，勝つd; a few belated primroses and violets were poking up their 長，率いるs in the warm corners of the gardens. The old people in the village were shaking their 長，率いるs and croaking. "A green Yuletide makes a 十分な churchyard."

Dark 減少（する）s from the trees in the Dower House 運動 dripped on Stephen Crasster's hat as he drove up to the door.

The firelight from within made a pleasant glow about his 幅の広い 人物／姿／数字 as he got out and rang the bell.

It looked 有望な and home-like after the dusk and the damp outside.

A glow of 楽しみ overspread the old butler's 直面する as he saw the 予期しない 訪問者, and Stephen 迎える／歓迎するd him cheerfully by 指名する.

"We didn't know you were at Talgarth, sir."

"I only （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する last night," Stephen answered, divesting himself of his coat and goggles. "Is Lady Carew at home, Jenkins?"

"Her ladyship is just walking a little way に向かって Heron's Carew with Mrs. Rankin, sir," the butler 答える／応じるd. "I 推定する／予想する her in every moment. 行方不明になる Carew is in the 製図／抽選-room, sir."

There was a smile in Stephen's 注目する，もくろむs as he followed the man 負かす／撃墜する the familiar passage. He had not been at Carew or Talgarth for nearly three months now, since the death of the man who had called himself Lord Chesterham.

For Ronald 物陰／風下, as the 証拠 most indisputably 証明するd him to be, had not lived to answer to the 法律 for his 罪，犯罪s. The 射撃 負傷させる in the 脚, which had not been みなすd serious at the time of his 逮捕（する）, began to 展示（する） dangerous symptoms soon after he was taken to London to を待つ his 裁判，公判. It was whispered that the 囚人 himself was accountable for this, that he had managed in some way to 毒（薬） the 負傷させる. Be that as it might, he died in the beginning of the very week in which the assizes were held, and the public felt itself cheated of a sensation.

Through all the time of the 裁判，公判 Stephen Crasster had been a veritable tower of strength to his friends; but when the worst was over, and they had gone 負かす／撃墜する to Heron's Carew, no 招待s had been able to 誘惑する him there, so that his 外見 this afternoon at the Dower House was 絶対 予期しない.

When the 製図／抽選-room door was thrown open Stephen saw that Peggy was crouching, a forlorn-looking heap, on the hearthrug. The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 had been 許すd to die 負かす／撃墜する; some of the damp atmosphere outside seemed to have crept into the room.

Peggy uttered an amazed exclamation and sprang to her feet as she saw Crasster. "I did not know you were here," she said confusedly. "When did you come to Talgarth?"

"Last night at seven o'clock, to be 正確な," he answered, his 肉親，親類d 注目する，もくろむs smiling 負かす／撃墜する at her. "I meant to spend Christmas at the old place."

"Ah, yes!" Peggy said, with a little indifferent 空気／公表する that was new to Stephen's recollection of her. "When are the Annesley 区s coming in?"

"Not at all," Stephen answered. "That 計画（する） is off, I am thinking now of keeping Talgarth in my own 手渡すs, at any 率 for a time. But you are 冷淡な—you are shivering, Peggy. Why have you let the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 out?"

"I don't know," Peggy said, looking at it ばく然と. "I was thinking. It is 冷淡な!" she shivered.

"Never mind, we will soon make it 燃やす. I am a dab 手渡す at 解雇する／砲火／射撃s," Stephen said 事実上 as he raked the embers carefully together.

Peggy watched him without speaking. Her childish wild-rose prettiness was sadly blurred and dimmed; her 直面する looked very white and pitifully small, 影を投げかけるd by the 激しい 集まり of brown hair. She was wearing a 黒人／ボイコット velvet gown with no 救済 except a little tucker of old lace at the throat.

It struck Stephen that he had never seen her wearing 黒人／ボイコット before. With a sharp throb of 怒り／怒る, he asked himself whether it could be put on for the sake of a man—the scoundrel—who died in 刑務所，拘置所.

Peggy had got up from the hearthrug. She was sitting in an uncomfortable 態度 on the extreme 辛勝する／優位 of a low 議長，司会を務める now.

"Yes, I have decided not to let the 区s have Talgarth," Stephen said slowly. "But the old place wants a mistress, not only a master. Will you marry me, Peggy?"

The トン was oddly 事柄-of-fact.

For a moment Peggy was too taken aback to しっかり掴む the sense of the words. She gazed up at him uncomprehendingly.

But unemotional though his 発言する／表明する—his words—might be, there was that in his 注目する，もくろむs that would have 明らかにする／漏らすd his secret to Peggy if she had met their gaze fully—that would have told a keen 観察者／傍聴者 that all this big, 厳しい-looking man's heart had gone out to the pretty pale girl, that his whole 存在 was 吸収するd in waiting for her answer.

"Will you marry me, Peggy?" he repeated 静かに, after a minute's waiting.

The girl 紅潮／摘発するd up, then she 新たな展開d her small 冷淡な 手渡すs nervously together.

"No thank you, Stephen!"

A shade darkened Crasster's 直面する, but his 発言する／表明する was as controlled as ever when he spoke again.

"Why not, Peggy?"

Peggy was not looking at him now. She was gazing past him, at the cheerful little 炎上s that were darting up the chimney.

"I—I do not want to be married at all, I shall not marry anyone, but it is good of you to ask me, Stephen."

"Good of me," Stephen repeated. "I don't understand you. What do you mean?"

"It is good of you," Peggy said again. "I know it is only because you are sorry for me of course, because you would like to help me to make people forget—this last year. But I would not let you make the sacrifice; I would not let you link your 運命／宿命 with 地雷."

"Would you not?" Stephen questioned in his low 肉親，親類d トンs. Then he laughed as he looked at her bent 長，率いる. "Sacrifice!" he repeated. "Because I'm sorry for you! Why, don't you know me better than that, Peggy?"

"Know you?" Peggy 解除するd her startled 注目する，もくろむs. "I know that you are all that is good and 肉親，親類d," she 滞るd, "but—"

Stephen laughed again.

"Good, 肉親，親類d!" he repeated scornfully. "Don't you know that I love, you, Peggy, that I have loved you always? Have you been blind all this time?"

A little of Peggy's wild-rose colour was stealing 支援する to her cheeks again now.

"I—I think I must have been," she said beneath her breath. "Yes! I was blind, Stephen."

Looking at her, Stephen was conscious of a 広大な／多数の／重要な 願望（する） to take her in his 武器 and 慰安 her. He dropped into the 議長，司会を務める 近づく her and put his strong brown を引き渡す the two small white ones lying forlornly in her （競技場の）トラック一周.

"And is it やめる hopeless, Peggy?" he questioned gently. "Are you going to tell me that you cannot care for me? That I am an old fool for dreaming that you ever could?"

"No, no! I'm not. How could I?" Peggy cried incoherently. "Oh, Stephen, why didn't I—why didn't you—"

"Why didn't I what?" Stephen said gently. He was 持つ／拘留するing her 冷淡な 手渡すs in his 会社／堅い warm clasp now, 集会 courage from the fact that they were not 孤立した—nay, he fancied that the small fingers were 粘着するing to his. "What is it that you wish I had done sooner?"

"Told me—this," said Peggy with a sob. "Why didn't you, Stephen? Why did you let me—"

Stephen's 直面する was very 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な as his 注目する，もくろむs 残り／休憩（する）d on the drooping 長，率いる, on the soft lips that were quivering childishly.

"It seemed to me that I had no 権利 to speak to you sooner, Peggy; no 権利 to 貯蔵所d your 有望な 青年 to me, until you had seen something of the world, until you could make your choice with your 注目する，もくろむs open. I cannot see, even now, how I could have done さもなければ."

"Don't you? No! Perhaps you couldn't!" Peggy said weakly. "But oh, Stephen, if you had—"

"Would it have made any difference, Peggy?" Stephen asked her softly.

"Why, of course it would," she cried, catching her breath, big 涙／ほころびs standing in her 注目する，もくろむs. "Of course it would, I should have known then—"

"You would have known then that I loved you," Stephen finished. "Ah, yes, but don't you understand, if your choice fell on any other man, I didn't want you to know it, Peggy. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to keep your friendship."

"That wasn't what I meant at all," Peggy said in a very 不安定な 発言する／表明する. Her 直面する was 回避するd now, and Stephen could not see how her lips were trembling, nor the 涙／ほころびs that were rolling 負かす／撃墜する her cheeks. "I meant that I should have known, when he （機の）カム—Lord Chesterham—that it was no use—that no one could ever take my old friend's place with me."

"Peggy!" Stephen （機の）カム a little nearer, he stooped till his dark 長，率いる was very 近づく her brown hair. "Does this mean that—that you cared—that you can care—for me?"

"Oh, I believe I have cared all my life," Peggy cried, the 涙／ほころびs bursting 前へ／外へ in real earnest now. "Oh, if I had only known, Stephen; if I had only known. It is too late now!"

"Why is it too late?" Stephen asked softly, his 権利 手渡す still 持つ／拘留するing both of hers, his left arm crept 一連の会議、交渉／完成する her waist and encircled it. "Why is it too late, Peggy?"

"Because—because—oh, I couldn't," the girl sobbed incoherently. "Do you know that they point at me everywhere, Stephen? In London, やめる a little （人が）群がる collected once to see me come out of the house. Abroad it is just the same. As soon as any English people hear my 指名する, they tell one another that I am the girl who was engaged to the 誤った Lord Chesterham—the man who would have been—hanged—if he had lived. And even here, in Carew, where the people have known me all my life, they 星／主役にする at me. They wonder how I take things; they let me see that they never forget!"

"Brutes!" Stephen ejaculated beneath his breath. "All the more 推論する／理由 you should let me take care of you, Peggy. When you are Mrs. Crasster of Talgarth they will forget all about it, and so will you."

"Never, never!" the girl said passionately. "I couldn't, Stephen!"

"Not if I tried to make you?" Stephen said 静かに. He drew her nearer, 集会 慰安 from the fact that she did not 撃退する him. "I will try very, very hard, Peggy. Tell me you will let me."

"I don't know why you should want to," Peggy said quaintly, "but—"

"But you will," Stephen said triumphantly. "Oh, Peggy, my little wilful rosebud. How often I have dreamt of this day! Tell me it is really true, that you care for me a little."

Peggy's small 直面する was hidden against his coat sleeve.

"Not a little," she said shyly. "A—a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定, Stephen."

* * *

That all happened やめる a long time ago now. For Peggy has been mistress of Talgarth for more than four years, and people have almost forgotten that she was once engaged to the 誤った Lord Chesterham. The impostor himself is seldom spoken of either; old Betty 物陰／風下 is dead, her son Hiram has left the neighbourhood, and the new Lord Chesterham, a distant cousin of the last peer, is a middle-老年の man with a large growing up family of sons and daughters, who keep the neighbourhood lively with their doings, and leave little time for the delving into past history.

There are children too at Talgarth, 同様に as at Heron's Carew. Peggy has two boys—big sturdy fellows with their father's length of 四肢 and 幅の広い brows and their mother's fair complexion. Love for them, and for their father, has driven the 影をつくる／尾行するs from Peggy's 注目する，もくろむs, has brought 支援する the smiles to her lips. She leads a very busy life too—little Mrs. Crasster of Talgarth—for Stephen was too much 大（公）使館員d to his profession to give it up. He has made 広大な／多数の／重要な strides in it of late; rumour has it that he will be the next new 裁判官, and this necessitates a good 取引，協定 of time 存在 spent in London. Peggy enjoys that part of her life 完全に, and she makes a 甘い little hostess, but she is never really as happy anywhere as at Talgarth with her children and her flowers, in the home she loves.

Up at Heron's Carew Paul is growing into a tall manly fellow, whom his father is already talking of sending to school, and there is another baby boy, a year old in the nursery, and a little girl a couple of years older, who is her mother's very image, and the joy of her father's heart.

Unlike the Crassters, Sir Anthony and Lady Carew spend most of their time in the country. Sir Anthony, like most men, is happiest there, 占領するd with his 追跡（する）ing, and his 狙撃 and looking after his 所有物／資産／財産, while the very について言及する of London to Lady Carew always seems to bring 支援する the memory of that bygone 悲劇 that once 脅すd to 難破させる their lives.

Echoes from the past reach them いつかs when Mrs. Rankin and her daughter 支払う／賃金 them a visit, or when a keen looking man with a stubby sandy 耐えるd, who is a 広大な／多数の／重要な friend of Paul's, comes to spend a 簡潔な／要約する holiday at the Carew 武器. Occasionally, too, the society papers chronicle the doings of a 確かな Princess Zeuridoff who was, before her second marriage, Lady Palmer.

The Princess has made several 試験的な 成果／努力s of late to 新たにする her friendship with the Carews, and professes herself grieved that her 予備交渉s have met with no 返答. She shrugs her shoulders いつかs, and asks, "What can you 推定する／予想する from the mad Carews?"

Sir Anthony and Lady Carew, however, reck little of her displeasure. Their 相互の love, 強化するd and purified by the 裁判，公判s they have undergone, their affection for their children, their care for their 扶養家族s and their poorer 隣人s 一連の会議、交渉／完成する their beautiful things （不足などを）補う the happiness of their lives, and they have little time to spare for outside 利益／興味s.

Judith is adored by the poor folk in all the country-味方する. Sir Anthony is her willing helper in all her 計画／陰謀s for the good of others, and people, in general, have almost forgotten, seeing him so transformed by his wife's gentle 影響（力）, that he was ever spoken of as one of the mad Carews of Heron's Carew.

THE END

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