"No; he came with a purpose, that's certain."
"A woman in it, no doubt. One can quite sympathize with the brother's incredulity as to the suicide theory, though hardly with his manner of showing it. The dead man was not that sort. The idea is simply staggering."
Gifford made no response, and for a while they walked on in silence.
Presently he asked, "How did you get on to-day—I mean with Colonel
Tredworth?"
"Oh, everything went off beautifully," Kelson answered, his tone brightening with the change of subject. "The old boy gave me his consent and his blessing. I've scarcely been able as yet to appreciate my luck, with this affair at Wynford Place intervening."
"No," Gifford responded mechanically. "It is calculated to drive everything else out of one's head."
"It is suggested," said Kelson, "that we should be married quite soon. The Tredworths are going abroad next month and don't propose to hurry back. So it means that if the wedding does not take place before they leave it must be postponed till probably the autumn."
"I should think the latter would be the best plan."
Kelson turned quickly to his companion. "To postpone it?" he exclaimed in a rather hurt tone. "Why on earth should we? We have nothing to wait for, I mean money or anything of that sort."
"No; but settlements take a long time to draw up."
"Not if the lawyers are told to hurry up with them."