"As she was your dearest friend--you told me as much--I fancy you must have had some idea."
"Perhaps," said Mrs. Snow, looking down uneasily. Then she raised her face with a frown. "Who told you this?"
"A man called Orchard. You may know of him, Mrs. Snow?"
"I have no reason to deny that I know of him. He was the late Mr. Paslow's butler, and became a shepherd on the Downs, because the doctor said he would have to live in the open air."
"Why?"
"Did he not tell you? His nerves were so shattered by that horrid murder which took place at the Grange twenty-five years ago."
"You allude to the murder of my father?"
"To the murder of Colonel Hall," corrected Mrs. Snow snappishly.
"My father was Colonel Hall."
"So this man Orchard says?" sneered the other, her face flushing and her hands opening and shutting.