"Well, you see, Lady Wyke knew that her husband had made a will in her favour, for when she called on Sandal to say that she was alive, and to stop the marriage with you, she made sure that there was no new will. Now let us suppose that she learnt Wyke's intention of leaving the money to me, so that I could marry you, is it not likely that she would try and stop him making the new will?"
"Yes," said Lemby, from his corner of the compartment, "it blamed well is. Do you mean to say, Craver, that Lady Wyke murdered the man herself?"
"No. Because, so far as we know, she did not come down to Hedgerton until after the murder. If she had, her sister, Mrs. Mellin, would have recognised her. But Lady Wyke might have hired someone to stab Sir Hector."
"Pigs might fly," said the pirate, disbelievingly and vulgarly. "Why. beyond yourself and myself, there was no one in the house at the time."
"Neddy was in the house," suggested Claudia.
"Pouf!" said her father, contemptuously. "You don't mean to say that such a small boy struck so vigorous a blow."
"No, I don't. But Neddy might know if a third person came to Maranatha on that night."
"I wonder if Mrs. Vence killed the man herself?" murmured Edwin, thoughtfully.
"Of course not!" cried Claudia, quickly. "She had every reason to keep Sir Hector alive, seeing that she had lost a good situation by his death."
"Well, I give it up in despair. What do you think, Lemby?"