htning she began to connect the evidence, and it seemed to her
that at last she had found the key to unlock the mystery. It was for
his mother's sake that Paul was bearing the shame and was suffering the
torments of a man accused of murder. She felt sure she had found the
truth, and she was at last in a position to save his life. Everything
fitted in with the thought which had so suddenly flashed into her mind.
Who would have free access to Paul's office? His mother. Why should
he refuse to engage a counsel to defend him? Because he feared to
incriminate his mother. Again she read the evidence at the coroner's
inquest, and noted each point. And she saw, or thought she saw,
evidence in every word he had uttered of his endeavour to keep all
thoughts from being directed to her.

Presently, however, difficulties began to appear before her mind. What
motive could she have had to do this deed? Again her mind worked
swiftly. She was, according to all she had heard of her, a passionate
woman. She loved Paul with all the strength of her being. For him she
had toiled. For him she had suffered. And it was the gossip of the
town that Paul's mother loved her son with a wild and almost
unreasoning love. She knew of Ned Wilson's enmity towards Paul, knew
how he had persecuted him through the years. Possibly, probably, she
knew of her son's love for herself, Mary Bolitho; knew, too, that
gossip had connected her own name with that of Ned Wilson. Of course,
a great deal of it was surmise, but everything pointed to the one fact.
Besides, Paul, on his return home after his quarrel with Wilson, would
probably tell her about it. He would not be able to hide his wounded
forehead. The blood would be trickling down his face, and she would
ask him questions about it. Would not a vindictive, passionate woman
such as she was said to be, seek to avenge her son? And, of course,
Paul would discover everything. The evidence of the servants had
proved that Paul had left the house during the night. Why? Yes, that
was it. Of course, he would do everything to keep even a shadow of
suspicion from resting upon her. It would be like him to do so.
Paul's mother had come back, and he had discovered what she had done.
That would explain the mystery of the knife. Paul, even though he
might have so far yielded to the spirit of revenge as to kill his
enemy, would never leave a knife in his victim's body known to be his,
and which could