man Franklin go about much?"

"Not a great deal, but he occasionally takes a walk into the village.
Sometimes he comes to church, and I believe the rector has called. I
wish any one but him had taken the Priory. We want company in this dull
place. Will you call and see him?"

"I ought to," replied Ware slowly, "seeing that I was engaged to Daisy,
who should have had the money. But from what you say I should not think
Franklin would care to see me, and certainly he does not seem to be a
desirable neighbor."

"He's quite a mistake," snorted Mrs. Parry. "I tried to be friendly, but
he gave me to understand that he preferred his books to my company. He's
a great reader, I understand."

Evidently the good lady was somewhat sore on the subject, for she
shortly changed it for another. First she began to talk of Daisy;
secondly, wonder who had killed her, and why; and thirdly, she made
mention of the grave. "There's something queer about that," she
remarked, rubbing her nose, a sure sign of perplexity.

"How do you mean, queer?"

"Well----" Mrs. Parry looked thoughtfully at her guest. Then, before
replying, she gave him permission to smoke. "I like the scent of a cigar
about the place," she said; "it reminds me of the Colonel. He was an
awful man to smoke. The one habit I could not break him of."

Giles lighted a cigarette willingly enough, and repeated his question.
This time he got an answer that surprised him. "It's this way," said the
old lady, taking up her knitting, "for some time the grave was quite
neglected."

"No, I gave orders that it should be looked after. I told Drake and my
gardener. He's a friend of the sexton's, and I thought there would be no
trouble."

"There has been, then," said Mrs. Parry triumphantly. "The sexton and
your gardener quarrelled, and have not been on speaking terms for
months. Thomas, the sexton, won't let Williams do anything to the grave,
and out of spite won't touch it himself, so it went to rack and ruin.
The grass is long--or rather was long--and the flowers all gone to seed.
A sore wreck, Ware."

"I am most annoyed. I'll see about it to-morrow."

"There is no need. The grave is now as neat as a new pin. The grass is
clipped, and fresh flowers were planted a month ago. I never saw a grave
better kept. Quite a labor of love."

"And who has done this? Mrs. Morley?"

"Pish!" said the old dame pettishly. "As though that woman had the
gumption to do anything. Humph! No one k