for doing it. Unless he's an absolute
lunatic, and you say he's not that--"

"No. He's sane, though I think he's decidedly eccentric."

"Then he must have had a motive of some sort. He plainly doesn't want
to have me here in Ballymoy. Now why not? That's what's puzzling me.
Why not? I never saw the man in my life till yesterday. I never heard
of him. What on earth can it matter to him whether I spend a fortnight
here or not?"

"There was some dispute about the fishing before you came," said Miss
King. "I heard about it from Callaghan the gardener. Mr. Meldon's
friend, Major Kent, thought he had a right to fish in some part of the
river--"

"But what difference would my being here make? I'm not the owner of
the fishing. Major Kent may be right or wrong. But there's no use his
disputing with me. He wouldn't be in a bit better position if I had
turned round and gone home."

"I suppose not."

"So we may rule that explanation out of court. And yet the man must
have had a motive of some sort. No one would take all the trouble that
he has taken unless he saw his way to gain something by it." The judge
paused again, thinking deeply. Then he smiled suddenly. "Look here,
Milly. You don't mind my asking you rather a personal question, do
you?"

"Not a bit. My conscience is quite easy. I didn't bribe the cook to
put paraffin oil in your dinner, and I should never have thought of
pouring Condy's Fluid over your bed."

"Has that curate, Meldon, I mean--"

"He's not a curate," said Miss King. "He's a vicar at least."

"I shouldn't wonder if he turned out to be an archdeacon. But has he--
It's rather an awkward question to ask; but you're not a child, Milly.
You know that you're a very attractive young woman, and you have what
would seem to some people quite a good fortune, besides what you earn
by your writing. Has this man been trying to make love to you?"

Miss King laughed aloud. The cheerful ring of her obviously
spontaneous mirth shattered the theory which the judge was building up.

"No," she said; "he has not. Quite the contrary. Oh, Uncle Gilbert, I
must tell you. It's too funny. He warned me in the most solemn way
that I wasn't to attempt to make love to him."

"In spite of all you say, Milly, he must be stark mad."

"No. He thought, he really did think, that I wanted to flirt with him,
and he told me not to. He said he couldn't have it. I was awfully
angry with him at the ti