The Borough Treasurer

d as to what he would do. He would act on Avice Harborough's suggestion, and, while watching the trend of affairs on behalf of the suspected man, would find out all he could about the murder

hat early stage of the proceedings,

y, went more fully into the case than was usual. Brereton had expected that the police would ask for an adjournment after the usual evidence of the superficial facts, and of the prisoner's arrest, had been offered; instead of that, the prosecution brought forward several witnesses, and amongst them the bank-manager, who said that when he cashed Kitely's draft fo

ady learned sufficient from Avice in a consultation with her and Bent's solicitor to know that it would be very easy to prove to a jury that it was no unusual thing for Harborough to carry twenty or thirty pounds in gold on him. Of all these witnesses Brereton asked scarcely anything-but he made it clear that when H

nto the witness-box and answered a few common-place questions as to the dead man's movements on the previous evening, Brereton prepared himself for the episode which he knew to b

ve you known

ith him as his housekee

ce is that?"

en years-n

as housekeeper, nearly

m since I firs

t come to him-where

Lond

where, in

a Grove, C

the time you became his housekeeper until now-nearly ten years in

" replied Miss Pett, grimly. "He wa

ed Brereton, concentrating his gaze on Miss Pett'

ved fingers on the edge of the

he answered. "I n

ten years' acquaintanceship! Come now. What did

t. "He was out most of the day a

ntioned i

in hi

? For instance, did it take

e days he never went out at all. And sometimes he'd be out at night

, he retired fro

before we

why Mr. Kitel

erably in the North. He came up this way for a holiday some months since, and when he got back h

ve been her

er three

asked his next question, which was accompanied

hing about Mr. Ki

"And for a simple reason.

d by anybody claimin

the ten year

d property-money-to

ith the fur boa which de

d he had," she re

m say what would beco

round the court a

ngly, "he-he always said that as he'd no

across the table towards the w

. Kitely ever made

ied Miss Pe

he

ore we le

the contents

s Pett. "I do

u witne

I did

know whe

I know

re i

ied Miss Pett. "He's a s

w's name and addres

Cursitor Street," answere

im know of Mr.

telegram first th

m to bring

never mentioned the will. Mr. Kitely was very fond o

ed Brereton. "Well, now, I want to ask you a question or two about yo

her gentleman!" repl

was

was a Major Stilman, a retired

r Stilman live?

g," replied Miss Pett, who was now s

e, and don't make remarks," said B

save you the trouble. I was with Major Stilman a many years, and before that I was store-keeper at one London hotel, and linen-keeper at another, and be

two hotels you were at in Lon

he other the Mervyn Crescent in Kensington," rep

riginally from-

ar Horsham. Do you

avely. "But you might just tell me this-has Mr. Kite

a week-end to see him on business. Of course, I don't know what the b

o see him about it," interrupted Brereton. "Thank y

s murder, and he was callous enough-from a purely professional standpoint-to care nothing if they began to form ideas about Miss Pett. For Brereton knew that nothing is so useful in the breaking-down of one prejudice as to set up another, and his great object just then was to divert primary prejudice away from his client. Nevertheless, nothing, he knew well, could

d, when both had pleaded with him to speak. "I'm d

me to make use of the knowledge,

ed up for a bit, but the truth about this matter'll come out before ever I'm brought to tr

"I'm going to stay with Mrs. No

, leaving father and daughter toge

said. "Come, now-have you got anything

and gave his couns

get. If you want to find out who killed Kitely-go back