l the time except for the two or three minutes spent in
going to the Mayor's Parlour."

"Talking to Dr. Wellesley?"

"Of course! What do you suppose I went for?"

"That's just what I want to find out!" retorted Meeking, with a glance
that took in the audience, now all agog with excitement. "Will you tell
us, Mrs. Mallett?"

Mrs. Mallett's handsome face became rigid, and her well-cut lips fixed
themselves in a straight line. But she relaxed them to rap out one word.

"No!"

"Come, now, Mrs. Mallett! This is a serious, a very serious inquiry. It
is becoming more serious the more it becomes mysterious, and it is
becoming increasingly mysterious. You have already told us that you went
secretly to Dr. Wellesley's house in order that you might see him and,
afterwards, the Mayor, Mr. Wallingford. Now, you must have had some very
special reason, or cause, for these interviews. Tell me what it was.
What was it, Mrs. Mallett?"

"No! That's my business! Nobody else's. I shall not say."

"Does Dr. Wellesley know what it was?"

"Of course!"

"Would the Mayor have known if you'd seen him?"

"Considering that that was the object I had in wanting to see him, of
course he would!" retorted Mrs. Mallett. "I should think that's
obvious."

"But you didn't see him, eh?"

"You know very well I didn't!"

"Pardon me, madam," said Meeking with lightning-like promptitude. "I
don't know anything of the sort! However, does anyone else know of
this--business?"

"That, too, is my concern," declared Mrs. Mallett, who had bridled
indignantly at the barrister's swift reply. "I shan't say."

"Does your husband know of it?"

"I'm not going to say that, either!"

"Did your husband--who, I believe, is one of the Town Trustees--did he
know of your visit to Dr. Wellesley's house on this particular
occasion?"

"I'll answer that! He did not."

"Where was he, while you were at Dr. Wellesley's? Had you left him at
home?"

"No, he had gone out before I went out myself. As to where he was, I
should say he was either at the Conservative Club or at Mr. Simon
Crood's. Is it relevant?"

Amidst a ripple of laughter Meeking made a gesture which signified that
he had done with Mrs. Mallett, and she presently stepped down from the
witness-box. Meeking turned to the Coroner.

"I want to have Dr. Wellesley in that box again, sir," he said.

"Let Dr. Wellesley be recalled," commanded the Coroner.

Wellesley, once more in the full gaze of the