hester to some purpose--and with no
drawing-out from Stoner or anybody.

"Well," remarked Myler, having supplied his guests with spirituous
refreshment, and taken a pull at his own glass. "I'm glad to see you,
Stoner, and so's the missis, and here's hoping you'll come again as
often as the frog went to the water. You've been having high old times
in that back-of-beyond town of yours, haven't you? Battles, murders,
sudden deaths!--who'd ha' thought a slow old hill-country town like
Highmarket could have produced so much excitement! What's happened to
that chap they collared?--I haven't had time to look at the papers this
last day or two--been too busy."

"Committed for trial," answered Stoner. "He'll come up at Norcaster
Assizes next month."

"Do they think he did it?" asked Myler. "Is it a sure thing?"

Before Stoner could reply Mr. Pursey entered the arena. His face
displayed the pleased expression of the man who has special information.

"It's an odd thing, now, David," he said in a high, piping voice, "a
very odd thing, that this should happen when I come up into these
parts--almost as foreign to me as the Fiji Islands might be. Yes, sir,"
he went on, turning to Stoner, "it's very odd! I knew that man Kitely."

Stoner could have jumped from his seat, but he restrained himself, and
contrived to show no more than a polite interest.

"Oh, indeed, sir?" he said. "The poor man that was murdered? You knew
him?"

"I remember him very well indeed," assented Mr. Pursey. "Yes, although I
only met him once, I've a very complete recollection of the man. I spent
a very pleasant evening with him and one or two more of his
profession--better sort of police and detectives, you know--at a
friend's of mine, who was one of our Wilchester police officials--oh,
it's--yes--it must be thirty years since. They'd come from London, of
course, on some criminal business. Deary me!--the tales them fellows
could tell!"

"Thirty years is a long time, sir," observed Stoner politely.

"Aye, but I remember it quite well," said Mr. Pursey, with a confident
nod. "I know it was thirty years ago, 'cause it was the Wilchester
Assizes at which the Mallows & Chidforth case was tried. Yes--thirty
years. Eighteen hundred and eighty-one was the year. Mallows &
Chidforth--aye!"

"Famous case that, sir?" asked Stoner. He was almost bursting with
excitement by that time, and he took a big gulp of whisky and water to
calm himself. "Something special,