ily understand Miss Heredith and her brother denying such a
suggestion; but the fact that none of the servants had seen anything of
the kind was fairly convincing proof that no such relation existed.

No class have a keener instinct for scandal than the servants of a
country-house. They have opportunities of seeing hidden things which
nobody else is likely to suspect. And the moat-house servants asserted,
with complete unanimity, that there had been nothing between Phil
Heredith and Hazel Rath during the time the girl had lived at the
moat-house. Their relations had been friendly, but nothing more. There
was no record of secret looks, stolen kisses, or surprised meetings to
support the theory of a mutual flirtation or furtive love. It was
impossible to doubt that Phil Heredith's attitude to the girl who had
occupied a dependent position in his home had been actuated by no warmer
feeling than a sort of brotherly regard.

Merrington, versed by long experience in forming an estimate of
character from second-hand opinion, was forced to the conclusion that
Phil Heredith was not the type of young man to betray the innocence or
trifle with the feelings of a young and unsophisticated girl. The
servants' testimony revealed him as gentle and courteous, but shy and
reserved, not fond of company, and immersed in his natural history
pursuits.

Merrington, however, had less difficulty in proving to his own
satisfaction that Hazel Rath had been secretly in love with Phil
Heredith almost since the days of her childhood. There was, to begin
with, the greenstone brooch which Caldew had picked tap in the bedroom
after Mrs. Heredith had been murdered. The members of the household were
in the custom of making the girl little presents on her birthday
anniversary, and Phil had given her the piece of greenstone, set in a
brooch, on her birthday six years before. There was no secret about it;
the gift had been chosen on the suggestion of Miss Heredith, who told
Merrington the facts. What was unknown was the addition of the
inscription, "Semper Fidelis," which must have been scratched on the
brooch subsequently by the girl herself as a girlish vow of love and
fidelity of the giver.

Detective Caldew might have ascertained these facts and shortened the
police investigations by the simple process of asking Miss Heredith
about the brooch in the first instance. But it is easy to be wise after
the event, and Superintendent Merrington was the last