“Ready money, sir. Catch us keeping an account with a man when his wife ruled the roast! No, Peter paid like a king, for every mouthful he swallowed.”
“I am far from certain that the comparison is a good one, kings being in no degree remarkable for paying their debts. But, is it not possible that Peter may have set his own house on fire, and thus have caused all this calamity, for which my client is held responsible?”
“I’ve thought that over a good deal since the murder, ’Squire, but don’t well see how it can be made out. Setting the building on fire is simple enough; but who killed the old couple, and who robbed the house, unless this Mary Monson did both?”
“The case has its difficulties, no doubt; but I have known the day to dawn after a darker night than this. I believe that Mrs. Goodwin and her husband were very nearly of the same height?”
“Exactly; I’ve seen them measure, back to back. He was a very short man, and she a very tall woman!”
“Do you know anything of a German female who is said to have lived with the unfortunate couple?”
“There has been some talk of such a person since the fire; but Dolly Goodwin kept no help. She was too stingy for that; then she had no need of it, being very strong and stirring for her time of life.”
“Might not a boarder, like Miss Monson, have induced her to take this foreigner into her family for a few weeks? The nearest neighbours, those who would be most likely to know all about it, say that no wages were given; the woman working for her food and lodging.”
“’Squire Dunscomb, you’ll never make it out that any German killed Peter and his wife.”
“Perhaps not; though even that is possible. Such, however, is not the object of my present enquiries—but, here comes my associate counsel, and I will take another occasion to continue this conversation, my good Mrs. Horton.”