just where you and I differ," he said. "That very point leads us
back to your past friendship with the dead woman."

"Why?"

"Surely you see, Mr. Grant, that Miss Melhuish might be, probably was,
watching your star-gazing, especially as your pupil chanced to be, shall
I say, a remarkably attractive young lady ... No, no," for Grant's anger
was unmistakable--"It does no good to blaze out in protest. An unhappy
combination of circumstances must be faced candidly. Here are you and a
pretty girl together in a garden at a rather late hour, and a woman whom
you once wanted to marry spying on you, in all likelihood. I've met a few
coroner's juries in my time, and not one of them but would deem the
coincidence strange, to put it mildly."

"What in Heaven's name are you driving at?"

"You must not impute motives, sir. I am seeking them, not
supplying them."

"But what am I to say?"

"Perhaps you will now tell me just how Miss Melhuish and you parted."

The fencers were coming to close quarters. Even P. C. Robinson had to
admit that his "boss" had cornered the suspect rather cleverly.

Grant realized that there was no room for squeamishness in this affair.
If he did not speak out now, his motives might be woefully misunderstood.

"We parted in wrath and tears," he said sadly. "Miss Melhuish could not,
or did not, appreciate my scruples. She professed to be in love with me.
She even went so far as to threaten suicide. I--hardly believed in her
sincerity, but thought it advisable to temporize, and asked for a few
days' delay before we came to a final decision. We met again, as I have
said, and discussed matters in calmer mood. Ultimately, she professed
agreement with my point of view, and we parted, ostensibly to remain good
friends, but really to separate for ever."

"Thank you. That's better. What _was_ your point of view, Mr. Grant?"

"Surely I have made it clear. I could not regard my wife as purchasable.
The proposed compact was, I believe, illegal. But that consideration did
not sway me. I had been dreaming, and thought I was roaming in an
enchanted garden. I awoke, and found myself in a morass."

The superintendent nodded again. Singularly enough, Grant's somewhat
high-flown simile appeared to satisfy his craving for light.

"Do you mind telling me--is there another woman?" he demanded, with one
of those rapid transitions of topic in which he excelled.

"No," said Grant.

"You see what I am aiming at. Let us