She got up, with a heightened colour and a little toss of her head, and
left the room, and the two men looked at each other.

"Talk to her, my lad," said Cotherstone at last. "Of course, girls think
such a lot of--of all the accompaniments, eh?"

"Yes, yes--it'll be all right," replied Bent. He tapped Cotherstone's
arm and gave him a searching look. "You're not keeping anything
back--about your health, are you?" he asked.

Cotherstone glanced at the door and sank his voice to a whisper.

"It's my heart!" he answered. "Over-strained--much over-strained, the
doctor says. Rest and change--imperative! But--not a word to Lettie,
Bent. Talk her round--get it arranged. I shall feel safer--you
understand?"

Bent was full of good nature, and though he understood to the full--it
was a natural thing, this anxiety of a father for his only child. He
promised to talk seriously to Lettie at once about an early wedding. And
that night he told Brereton of what had happened, and asked him if he
knew how special licences can be got, and Brereton informed him of all
he knew on that point--and kept silence about one which to him was
becoming deeply and seriously important.

CHAPTER XIII

THE ANONYMOUS LETTER

Within a week of that night Brereton was able to sum things up, to take
stock, to put clearly before himself the position of affairs as they
related to his mysterious client. They had by that time come to a clear
issue: a straight course lay ahead with its ultimate stages veiled in
obscurity. Harborough had again been brought up before the Highmarket
magistrates, had stubbornly refused to give any definite information
about his exact doings on the night of Kitely's murder, and had been
duly committed for trial on the capital charge. On the same day the
coroner, after holding an inquest extending over two sittings, had
similarly committed him. There was now nothing to do but to wait until
the case came on at Norcaster Assizes. Fortunately, the assizes were
fixed for the middle of the ensuing month: Brereton accordingly had
three weeks wherein to prepare his defence--or (which would be an
eminently satisfactory equivalent) to definitely fix the guilt on some
other person.

Christopher Pett, as legal adviser to the murdered man, had felt it his
duty to remain in Highmarket until the police proceedings and the
coroner's inquest were over. He had made himself conspicuous at both
police-court and coroner's court, putting