"It was Mr. Lovel," repeated Iris¹; "and if he was not concerned in the murder, what was he doing at midnight on the very spot where it occurred?"  
"He may have been there after twelve o'clock," said Paul; "but to inculpate² him you must prove that he met Milly between eight and nine."
 
"I can't prove it; no one can prove it."
 
"I am not sure of that," replied Paul, with sudden recollection; "there is a man called Brent who was in the Winding³ Lane on that night, and about that time. I'll see him."
 
Iris shook her head. "If Brent had known anything he would have come forward at the inquest."
 
"No doubt--if he had not been bribed⁴."
 
"What makes you think that Brent has been bribed?" asked Iris, in surprise.
 
"I do not think so; but Herne insists upon it."
 
"Mr. Herne!" said Iris, in a low voice, and with a flush--"he believes Lovel guilty also?"
 
"Yes--and without your grounds for belief. Also, he declares that Lovel bribed Brent to hold his tongue."
 
"Does Mr. Herne think that Brent saw the murder committed?"
 
"Oh, no! but he thinks that Brent saw Lovel with Milly."
 
"I am certain Milly, poor girl, was with Lovel on that night, and I believe he killed her."
 
There was a few minutes' silence, and then Paul turned quickly towards Iris. "I want to ask you a rather rude question," said he, awkwardly.
 
"What is it?"
 
"You won't be angry?"
 
"I am long past feeling anger after what I have gone through," said Iris, sadly. "What is it you wish to know, friend?"
 
"You asked me not to search for the assassin of Milly; and now I find that you believe the assassin to be Lovel. Are you in love with the man, that you sought to screen him?"
 
"In love with Mr. Lovel!" cried Iris, indignantly. "Not I! I despise him too much! A man who would act as he has done with Milly, knowing that she was engaged to Herne, is not worthy⁶ of a woman's love! No; I do not love, or even respect, Mr. Lovel."
 
"Then why do you seek to screen him?"
 
Iris rose to her feet with a cold look. "I cannot answer that question now. I had my reasons for acting⁷ as I did."
 
"What do you mean?" asked Mexton, rising in his turn. "I don't understand you."
 
"If I told you my reasons, you would understand still less," said Iris bitterly. "I do not understand myself. But don't ask me any more questions, Paul. I have told you all I know."
 
"All!" said Mexton, with emphasis, his eyes searching her face.
 
"All I can tell you now, at all events," she replied, obstinately⁸.
 
After this last remark Mexton was satisfied that Iris, for reasons of her own which he could not guess, had not confessed all she knew. Yet as he was unaware⁹ of her motives¹⁰ for this reserve, he did not think it wise to press his questions. Better, he thought, to accept her refusal for the moment, and question her on some future occasion, when she might be more inclined to take him into her confidence. Moreover, by examining Brent, and forcing him into confession¹¹, he might get at her knowledge without the necessity of procuring¹² it through herself. The matter thus settled in his own mind, Paul discarded the subject of the murder, and addressed himself to the question of Miss Link's position.
 
"You will accept my mother's offer, I suppose?" said he, quietly. "At all events you will stay with her until after the trial of your stepfather?"
 
Iris winced¹³. "I do not care about facing Marborough gossip," she said; "but I think it best to stay with Mrs. Mexton, as I am afraid to remain here alone. I shall go over to Marborough by the six o'clock coach. Eliza can stay here in charge of the house."
 
"Very good, Iris. I shall meet you at six o'clock at The Herne Arms and take you over."
 
"And in the meantime--?"
 
"I intend to find out Brent, and force him to confess the truth."
 
This arrangement having been come to, Paul left Poverty Villa¹⁴, and went off in the direction of the village. On his way towards the market-place, where he expected to find Brent--for it was market-day in Barnstead, and the town was full of farmers and labourers--Mexton remembered that the ploughman had confessed to being with one Jane Bilway in the Winding Lane. If this were so, the woman must have seen as much as the man; and if she had not been bribed also, it was more likely that he would be able to extract the truth from her. Mexton knew most people, high and low, in Barnstead, amongst these Jane Bilway, who was a servant at The Chequers, a little public-house on the outskirts¹⁵ of the village. Thither¹⁶ he turned his steps to see what he could learn from the woman.
 
Jane was a broad, squat¹⁷ wench with a healthy red face and dull eyes. She had about as much intelligence as a cow, and was only useful in doing rough work and common drudgery¹⁸. She was, at the moment of Paul's arrival, cleaning the front windows of The Chequers, and recognised him with a friendly grin. At once Mexton began to ask her questions on the subject which was uppermost in his mind.
 
"Jane," he said, quietly, "you are to marry Giles Brent, they say?"
 
"Yes, Mr. Mexton. We've bin¹⁹ keepin' company since Christmas."
 
"You see him occasionally?"
 
"Most ivery day. He comes here a lot; he's inside now, havin' a wet," said Jane, pointing to the window of the tap-room.
 
This was better news than Paul expected, for it gave him the chance of an immediate²⁰ conversation with Brent. But before entering the public-house, he pursued his plan of gaining information from Jane.
 
"Were you walking with him on the night Miss Lester was killed?"
 
"I were," replied Miss Bilway, frankly²¹. "We went to the Methody Chapel²² together."
 
"Where did you meet him?"
 
"Just by the church, sir. We heard the shot fired when the bell was ringing."
 
"But you were with him in the Winding Lane?"
 
Jane shook her head emphatically. "No, I wasn't, sir," she denied. "I couldn't git away in time to go there. I wasn't in the lane on that night."
 
"Oh!" Paul noted²³ that Brent had been telling a lie. "You met Brent by St. Dunstan's Church at nine o'clock, and went to the Methodist Chapel?"
 
"Yes, I did. And I 'eard the shot fired, but I thought it was nothin', though Giles he wanted to go back."
 
"You didn't see Miss Lester on that night?"
 
"No, sir; but I see Miss Iris, her sister, by the church at nine. She must 'ave heard the shot, too."
 
"I daresay," replied Paul, with assumed carelessness. "Well, Jane, here's a sovereign to buy yourself a wedding-present."
 
"Thank you, sir," said Jane, slipping the coin into her pocket. "I wants all I can git, though to be sure Giles ain't b............