n it. I always liked the young fellow."

"That's just where I don't agree with you; I don't like him," Ralph
Mainwaring replied in a surly tone. "He may be all right so far as
this matter is concerned; I don't say yet that he is or isn't; but
I do say that to defame a man's character after he's dead, in the
manner he has, is simply outrageous, and, you may depend upon it,
there's some personal spite back of it."

"Oh, well, as to Hugh's character, I don't think you or I are going
to fret ourselves about that," laughed Mr. Thornton. "He probably
sowed his wild oats with the rest of us, and there may have been
some reason for his leaving England as he did."

"I don't believe it," Ralph Mainwaring retorted, angrily; but before
he could say more, the doors opened and the coroner's jury filed
into the room. There was instant silence, and a moment later the
verdict had been announced. It was what every one had expected, and
yet there was not one but experienced a feeling of disappointment
and dissatisfaction.

"We find that the deceased, Hugh Mainwaring, came to his death by
the discharge of a revolver in the hands of some person or persons
to us unknown."

CHAPTER X

BEHIND THE SCENES

The crowd dispersed rapidly, passing down the oak-lined avenue in
twos and threes, engaged in animated discussion of the details of
the inquest, while each one advanced some theory of his own
regarding the murder. Mr. Sutherland had taken his departure after
making an appointment with Scott for the following day, and the
latter now stood in one of the deep bow-windows engrossed with his
own thoughts. Suspicion had been partially diverted from himself,
but only partially, as he well knew, to return like a tidal wave,
deepened and intensified by personal animosity, whenever the facts
he had thus far so carefully concealed should become known. He gave
little thought to this, however, except as it influenced him in
planning his course of action for the next few days.

He was aroused from his revery by the sound of approaching steps,
and, turning, met Mr. Whitney.

"Ah, Mr. Scott, I was just looking for you. I thought possibly you
had slipped back to the city with the crowd. I wanted to say, Mr.
Scott, that, if it will be agreeable to you, I wish you would remain
at Fair Oaks for the next few days, or weeks, as the case may be.
Mr. Ralph Mainwaring has retained my services to aid in securing
his title to the estate, a