reed. But 'twas not to be,
more's the pity."

Caldew nodded absently. His original interest in his sister's talk was
relapsing into boredom because it seemed unlikely to lead to anything of
the slightest importance about the murder.

"The young lady he did marry was not a real lady, so I've heard say,"
continued Mrs. Lumbe, placidly pursuing the train of her reflections.
"She didn't come much into the village, but when she did she walked
about as though she were bettermost, and everybody else dirt beneath her
feet. But I have heard that she had to earn her own living in London
before Mr. Philip fell in love with her pretty face. If that's the
truth, she gave herself enough airs afterwards, and did all she could to
make Miss Heredith feel she'd put her nose out of joint, as the saying
is."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Caldew sharply, with all his senses
again alert.

"Well, you know, Tom, Miss Heredith has been the mistress of the
moat-house and the great lady of the county since Lady Heredith died.
But when Mr. Philip brought his young wife down from London that was all
changed. The young lady soon let her see that she wasn't going to be
ruled by her, and didn't care for her or her ways. They do say it was a
great trial to Miss Heredith, though she tried not to let anybody know
it."

"Where did you learn this?" Caldew asked abruptly.

"Lord, Tom, how short you pick me up! Milly Saker, who's parlourmaid at
the moat-house, told me in the strictest confidence, because she knew I
wouldn't tell anybody. And I wouldn't tell anybody but you, Tom. She
told me from the very first that she didn't think the two ladies would
get on together. They were so different, Milly said, and she was certain
Miss Heredith didn't think the young lady good enough to marry into the
Heredith family."

"Did she tell you if they had ever quarrelled?"

"I asked her that, and she said no. Miss Heredith is always the lady,
and she wouldn't lower herself by quarrelling with anybody, least of all
with anybody she did not consider as good a lady as herself. But Milly
says she was sorely tried at times. Milly thought it would end up in her
leaving the moat-house and marrying her old sweetheart, Mr. Musard,
who's just returned from his foreign travels. Perhaps you've seen him."

"Yes, I've seen him," said Caldew. "So he is her old sweetheart, is he?"

"So folk used to say," returned Mrs. Lumbe. "I remember there was some
talk of a match b