were born to keep each other in order, and we old folks should have
been disappointed had it been otherwise. But in return for my easy
sanction, I want your fullest confidence about something very different.
I was watching you the other day at the inquest, Reggie. What really
happened that night when you two were sweethearting on the marsh?"

Two pairs of youthful eyes questioned each other, and each gave a mutely
tentative answer in the affirmative.

"We saw something that night that might get some one into trouble,"
Reggie took upon himself to say. "Some one who--well, didn't strike us
as the sort of chap to deserve it. So we decided to keep quiet about
it."

"I am inclined to think that your discretion was praiseworthy," said Mr.
Mallory gravely. "I hope, however, that for that some one's sake I may
be honoured by your confidence. It was Leslie Chermside, was it not?"

"Well, yes; as you seem to be omniscient, sir, and friendly to him, we
did see Chermside on the marsh that night," Reggie admitted.

"But we didn't see him murdering anybody," interposed Enid; adding
inconsequently, "Dear Violet Maynard wouldn't be so keen on him if he
was a murderer."

"You were not, I presume, an actual witness of the crime," Mr. Mallory
said drily. He remained silent for a minute, walking up and down the
room, and then continued--

"Now, look here, you two. There is some ugly mischief going on here, and
it is my belief that Chermside, though mixed up in it, is more sinned
against than sinning. You will best serve him by being perfectly frank
with me, and if it will induce you to be so, let me say that the
wire-puller in the business is Mr. Travers Nugent. You are both of you
aware of my opinion of that gentleman, based on grounds of former
official experience. I am certain that there is some deep-laid plot
afoot in which Chermside is a mere pawn--a plot which I somehow vaguely
deem to be directed against the good people who have rented the Manor
House. I have utterly failed so far to gain the slightest inkling of the
nature or object of Nugent's machinations, but I have gathered
this--that whether Chermside killed that little Jew or not Nugent is
holding over him, as a means to effect his purpose, the probability of
imminent arrest."

At that Reggie described fully how he and Enid had been "resting" in the
bushes at the side of the marshland path, and how at short intervals two
men, whom it was too dark to recognize, had