arked that on the matter
of the visits made to the girl, there never was smoke without fire.
Gilmore's voice, too, had been loud, and all the servants about the
inn had heard him. He knew that the quarrel was already public, and
felt that he had no alternative but to tell his friend what had
passed.

[Illustration: "Who are you, sir, that you should interpret
my words?"]

On that same evening he saw the Vicar. Fenwick had returned from
Salisbury, tired, dispirited, and ill at ease, and was just going in
to dress for dinner, when Gilmore met him at his own stable-door, and
told him what had occurred.

"Then, after all, my wife was right and I was wrong," said Fenwick.

"Right about what?" Gilmore asked.

"She said that Lord Trowbridge would spread these very lies. I
confess that I made the mistake of believing him to be a gentleman.
Of course I may use your information?"

"Use it just as you please," said Gilmore. Then they parted, and
Gilmore, who was on horseback, rode home.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

MARY LOWTHER RETURNS TO BULLHAMPTON.

A month went by after the scenes described in the last chapter, and
summer had come at Bullhampton. It was now the end of May, and, with
the summer, Mary Lowther had arrived. During the month very little
progress had been made with the case at Heytesbury. There had been
two or three remands, and now there was yet another. The police
declared that this was rendered necessary by the absence of Sam
Brattle,--that the magistrates were anxious to give all reasonable
time for the production of the man who was out upon bail,--and that,
as he was undoubtedly concerned in the murder, they were determined
to have him. But they who professed to understand the case, among
whom were the lawyer from Devizes and Mr. Jones of Heytesbury,
declared that no real search had been made for Brattle because
the evidence in regard to the other men was hitherto inefficient.
The remand now stood again till Tuesday, June the 5th, and it was
understood that if Brattle did not then appear the bail would be
declared to have been forfeited.

Fenwick had written a very angry letter to Lord Trowbridge, to which
he had got no answer, and Lord Trowbridge had written a very silly
letter to the bishop, in replying to which the bishop had snubbed
him. "I am informed by my friend, Mr. Gilmore," said the Vicar to
the Marquis, "that your lordship has stated openly that I have made
visits to a young woman in