"This is a remnant of my soldiering days," he said. "Once it contained two pistols; now, as you see, there is only one. The other, I admit freely, is the weapon which you showed to me, Mr. Mexton."
"The weapon with which Milly was murdered," said Lovel viciously.
"No doubt; but, as I told you, I lost it some four weeks ago,"
"How did you lose it?" asked Paul; for it seemed to him that Chaskin was evading the point.
"I cannot tell you," replied the Vicar; "the box stood always on that table. I see many people in this room; any one of them might have taken it."
"Mother Jimboy, for instance?"
"No; for the simple reason that Mother Jimboy never came to the Vicarage."
"Herne says she did," cried Lovel; "and that you saw her in this room before the murder."
Chaskin drew a long breath, and seemed to consider his reply: "Mr. Herne is mistaken," he said at length; "the gipsy was never in this room."
"Then somebody is telling a lie!" said Lovel, looking sharply at Chaskin.