"How?"

"He showed very clearly that Grant was guilty of gross bad taste in
inviting Mr. Martin and his daughter to dinner that evening. I'm inclined
to agree with him, if the story has been told fairly. But that is beside
the main issue. Siddle aroused the sleeping dogs of the village, and the
pack is in full cry again. Grant seems to have been popular here; he had
almost recovered from the blow of Miss Melhuish's death by the
straightforward speech he made before the inquest. But Siddle threw him
back into the mud by a few skillful words. What is Siddle's record? Is he
a local man?"

"I think not. Robinson can tell us."

"Robinson says he 'believes' Siddle is a widower. That doesn't argue long
and close knowledge."

"We must look into it. Robinson has been stationed here four years.
Siddle is not old, but he has been in business in Steynholme more years
than that. But--you'll pardon me, I'm sure, Mr. Winter--may I take it
that you are really interested in the chemist's history?"

The superintendent was perplexed, or he would not have adopted his
professional method of semi-apologetic questions with a man from
the C.I.D.

"I hardly know what I'm interested in," laughed Winter. "Grant didn't
kill the lady. I shall be slow to credit Elkin with being the scoundrel
he looks. Siddle, and Tomlin, if you please, are regarded as starters in