he witness again he was blander than ever.

"Now I shall have to ask you still more personal questions," he said.
"It is, as you must be aware, Mrs. Saumarez, well known in the town that
on your first coming here as a resident you became on terms of great
friendship with Dr. Wellesley. Do you agree to that?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"You used to go out a great deal with Dr. Wellesley--driving, and so
on?"

"Yes."

"In fact, Dr. Wellesley at that time paid you great attention?"

"Yes."

"Did those attentions cease about the time that you became so friendly
with Mr. Wallingford?"

"Well, they didn't altogether cease."

"But, shall we say, fell off?"

Mrs. Saumarez hesitated, obviously disliking the question.

"I have always been friends with Dr. Wellesley," she said eventually.

"All the same, has your friendship with him been quite what it was
originally, since you became so very friendly with the late Mayor?"

"Well, perhaps not."

"Will you give me a plain answer to this question? Was there any
jealousy aroused between Dr. Wellesley and Mr. Wallingford because of
you?"

This time Mrs. Saumarez took a long time to answer. She seemed to be
thinking, reflecting. And when she replied it was only to question the
Coroner:

"Am I obliged to answer that?" she asked.

"I am afraid I must press for an answer," said the Coroner, "it is
important."

"I think there was jealousy," she replied in a low voice.

"On whose part?"

"Dr. Wellesley thought I had thrown him over for Mr. Wallingford."

"Had Dr. Wellesley ever asked you to marry him?"

Mrs. Saumarez's answer came with unexpected swiftness.

"Oh, yes! two or three times!"

"Had you refused him also, then?"

Mrs Saumarez paused. Her cheeks flushed a deeper red.

"The fact was--I didn't want to marry anybody--just then anyway," she
answered. "They--both asked me--several times. I--if you please, will
you not ask me any more about my private affairs?--they've nothing to do
with this! It wasn't my fault that those two were jealous of each other,
and----"

"She's let the cat out of the bag now!" whispered Tansley to Brent.
"Gad! I see how this thing's going to develop! Whew! Well, there she
goes!"

For the Coroner had politely motioned Mrs. Saumarez away from the box,
and the next instant the official voice rapped out another name:

"Dr. Rutherford Carstairs!"

CHAPTER XI

THE NINETEEN MINUTES' INTERVAL

Carstairs, a red-haired, bl