Basil. She would rather have seen him a spruce well-groomed
man about town like Cuthbert. But at the present moment
Basil's face was flushed, and he spoke hurriedly, evidently
laboring under great stress of emotion.

"Have you heard the news?" he said, dropping into a chair and
casting a side look at the evening paper which Peter still
held.

"If you mean about the death--"

"Yes; Aunt Selina has been murdered. I called to see her this
morning, and found the house in the possession of the police.
All day I have been down there with Mallow."

"With Cuthbert," said Juliet, starting and growing red. "What
was he doing there?"

"He came down to Rexton to see about the unfinished house.
Lord Caranby has returned to England, and he has thoughts of
pulling it down. Mallow came to have a look at the place."

"But he can't get in. There is a wall round the grounds."

"He climbed over the wall," said Basil, quickly, "and after
looking through the house he came out. Then he saw me, and I
told him what had happened. He appeared dreadfully shocked."

Juliet shivered in spite of the heat of the day and the fire,
near which she was seated. "It is strange he should have been