letters he read, and then threw them into the fire. Do you know
what was in those letters?"

"No; I have no idea."

"You saw the envelopes. In what handwriting were they--that of a man
or a woman?"

"I did not take particular notice, but I thought one was written by a
man and the other by a woman."

"Just so! and he threw these letters into the fire?"

"Yes."

"Did he seem to be pleased at seeing them?"

The witness was silent for a second, then he said: "It is difficult to
tell."

"That is not an answer to my question. Did he not show anger, or at
least annoyance, as he read one of these letters?"

"Well, perhaps he did."

"Thank you. Now then, I want to ask you this: You say he went out
after dinner that night. Did he tell you where he was going?"

"No. I thought he was going to his club."

"You know, too, that he did not go to his club. That has come out in
the evidence."

"I am told that he was not seen there."

"Now then for the question that I regard of such importance. Do you
know of any woman likely to write to your son and ask him to meet her?"

Again the witness looked confused. "I think the question unfair," he
said. "One might have all sorts of suspicions, but it would be wrong
to give expression to them, as I have no definite knowledge."

"I must insist on the question, my lord," said Paul, turning to the
judge.

"Certainly," replied the judge. "It has a strong bearing upon the
case."

"Then I must repeat the question," said Paul, turning to the witness.

Whereupon Mr. Wilson admitted that he had more than once seen his son
in company with a woman whom he did not know.

"Might it not have been her letter that night?"

"Of course, I cannot tell," replied the witness. "Everything I say
upon the question is pure surmise, and I can substantiate nothing."

"Was the writing on the envelope that of an educated woman?"

"No, I should say not; but it might have been disguised."

"Thank you," said Paul. "You say you saw your son in company with this
woman. Where did you see them?"

"At some little distance from the Coal Clough Golf Links."

"Did they seem on good terms?"

"I cannot say. I should not think so."

"Was the woman angry with him?"

"She might have been."

"You judged that she was?"

"Yes; I thought she was."

"Now to return to the night of the murder. You say that your son did
not tell you where he was going?"

"No."

"That you thought he was