now--him," replied Miss Pett, grimly. "He
wasn't the sort that's easy to know."

"Still, you knew him for ten years. Now," continued Brereton,
concentrating his gaze on Miss Pett's curious features, "who and what
was Mr. Kitely?"

Miss Pett drummed her black-gloved fingers on the edge of the
witness-box and shook her head.

"I don't know," she answered. "I never have known.

"But you must have some idea, some notion--after ten years'
acquaintanceship! Come now. What did he do with himself in London? Had
he no business?"

"He had business," said Miss Pett. "He was out most of the day at it. I
don't know what it was."

"Never mentioned it to you?"

"Never in his life."

"Did you gain no idea of it? For instance, did it take him out at
regular hours?"

"No, it didn't. Sometimes he'd go out very early--sometimes late--some
days he never went out at all. And sometimes he'd be out at night--and
away for days together. I never asked him anything, of course."

"Whatever it was, he retired from it eventually?"

"Yes--just before we came here."

"Do you know why Mr. Kitely came here?"

"Well," said Miss Pett, "he'd always said he wanted a nice little place
in the country, and preferably in the North. He came up this way for a
holiday some months since, and when he got back he said he'd found just
the house and neighbourhood to suit him, so, of course, we removed
here."

"And you have been here--how long?"

"Just over three months."

Brereton let a moment or two elapse before he asked his next question,
which was accompanied by another searching inspection of the witness.

"Do you know anything about Mr. Kitely's relations?"

"No!" answered Miss Pett. "And for a simple reason. He always said he
had none."

"He was never visited by anybody claiming to be a relation?"

"Not during the ten years I knew him."

"Do you think he had property--money--to leave to anybody?"

Miss Pett began to toy with the fur boa which depended from her thin
neck.

"Well--yes, he said he had," she replied hesitatingly.

"Did you ever hear him say what would become of it at his death?"

Miss Pett looked round the court and smiled a little.

"Well," she answered, still more hesitatingly, "he--he always said that
as he'd no relations of his own, he'd leave it to me."

Brereton leaned a little closer across the table towards the witness-box
and dropped his voice.

"Do you know if Mr. Kitely ever made a will?" he asked.