mind that Nepcote knew her in her single days. If
she had a secret she has taken it to the grave with her. There remains
Nepcote, who is deeply implicated in the case in some way. You may learn
something from him if you can catch him and induce him to speak, though
I must confess I find it difficult to reconcile the supposition that he
committed the murder with the known circumstances of the case."

"There I agree with you," exclaimed Merrington. "What is Hazel Rath's
position if we admit any such supposition? Nothing has yet come to light
to shake the evidence which points to her as the person who murdered
Mrs. Heredith."

"Does she still refuse to speak?"

"Yes. She is as obstinate as a mule and as mute as a fish. I sent a very
clever woman detective down to the gaol at Lewes to try and coax her to
say something, but she could get nothing out of her. She said she had no
statement to make, and nothing whatever to say. She refused to go beyond
that."

"She may have some strong reason for keeping silence," remarked Colwyn
thoughtfully. "Arrested persons sometimes remain silent under a grave
charge because they are anxious to keep certain knowledge in their
possession from the police. Nepcote's implication in the case lends
colour to the theory that Hazel Rath may be keeping silent for some such
purpose."

"In order to shield Nepcote?"

"It is possible, though I do not think we are in a position to infer
that much without further knowledge. But now that we know that Nepcote
is connected with the case I certainly think that a strong effort should
be made to induce Hazel Rath to speak."

"It is not to be done," replied Merrington, with an emphatic shake of
the head. "The girl is not to be drawn."

"Have you told her about the recent developments of the case?"

"About Nepcote, do you mean?"

"Yes."

"Certainly not," replied Merrington, in a tone of outraged officialism.
"To give the girl that piece of information before I know what it means
would place such a powerful weapon in the hands of the lawyer for the
defence that I should have to withdraw the charge against Hazel Rath at
the next police court proceedings if I did not arrest Nepcote in the
meantime. I do not want any dramatic developments--as the idiotic
newspapers call it-in my cases. There is a certain amount of public
sympathy with this girl already."

"I think you stand to gain more than you lose by telling her that
Nepcote is suspected."

"I pr