verge of actual mania. I don't think you ought to adopt that kind of attitude, Major. If you had been trained in theology, or even secular metaphysics, it might be excusable; though then, of course, you wouldn't do it. But in a simple and almost entirely uneducated country gentleman like you, it's simply grotesque." 

 "Go on about the newspaper, J. J." 

 "Here it is for you; but I don't see that it's much use giving it to you if your mind is made up beforehand to disbelieve every word that's in it." 

 He took a newspaper from his pocket and handed it to Major Kent, indicating with his thumb a column on the middle page. 

 "The Lorimer Case. Judge's Charge to the Jury. Acquittal. 

 "Scene outside the Court. Enthusiasm of the Crowd. A Demonstration." 

 The Major read aloud the heavily-leaded lines which filled half the column. 

 "Skip that part," said Meldon.  "The cheers don't matter to us, though I daresay Miss King enjoyed them at the time. Go on to the bottom of the next column where you see the words 'An Interview' in large print." 

 "Our representative," read the Major, "called this evening at Mrs. Lorimer's hotel. He was at once shown up to her sitting-room, where he found her—" 

 "Go on," said Meldon; "that part about her being cool and unembarrassed, and the next bit about her wearing a well-cut grey travelling-dress, isn't important; though, as a matter of fact, her dress was grey." 

 The Major skipped a paragraph, and then began to read again. 

 "'I always felt quite certain,' said Mrs. Lorimer, in reply to a question asked by our representative, 'about what the jury's verdict would be. I have perfect confidence in the commonsense and justice of Englishmen. In fact, I had all my arrangements made, through my solicitors, for my movements after the trial. I have taken a house in a very quiet neighbourhood, where I shall be free from all inquisitive publicity.'" 

 "There," said Meldon, "those are almost the exact words Miss King used to me in the train." 

 The Major went on, reading aloud. 

 "'May I ask,' said our representative, 'in what part of the country—?' 'No,' said Mrs. Lorimer, smiling.  'You may not ask 

 Prev. P 27/202 next