t two months ago. But let me go on.
The interesting thing is that, at the time of the trial and after it,
she was all the other way. She as good as told me that she had proof
against Mrs. Carnaby; I fancy she told lots of people the same. She
talked as if she hated the woman. But now that Mrs. Carnaby is looking
up--you see?--she's going to play Mrs. Carnaby's game at your expense.
What I should like to know is whether they've done it together?'

'There can't be much doubt of that,' said Alma, between her teeth.

'I don't know,' rejoined the other cautiously. 'Have you reason to
think that Mrs. Carnaby would like to injure you?'

'I'm quite sure she would do so if it benefited herself.'

'And yet you were fast friends not long ago, weren't you?' asked Dymes,
with a look of genuine curiosity.

'We don't always know people as well as we think. Where is that woman
living now?--I mean, Mrs. Strangeways.'

'That's more than I can tell you. She is--or is supposed to be--out of
town. I saw her last just before she left her house.'

'Is the other in town?'

'Mrs. Carnaby? I don't know. I was going to say,' Dymes pursued, 'that
the story Mrs. S. has been telling seems to me very clumsy, and that's
why I don't think the other has any hand in it. She seemed to have
forgotten that Redgrave's housekeeper, who was wanted by the police,
wasn't likely to put herself in Carnaby's way--the man she had robbed.
I pointed that out, but she only laughed. "We're not bound to believe,"
she said, "all that Carnaby said on his trial."'

'We are not,' Alma remarked, with a hard smile.

'You think he dressed things up a bit?'

'I think,' answered Alma, 'that he may have known more than he told.'

'That's my idea, too. But never mind; whatever the truth may be, that
woman is doing you a serious injury. I felt you ought to know about it.
People have talked about you a good deal, wondering why on earth you
dropped out of sight so suddenly after that splendid start; and it was
only natural they should connect your name with the Carnaby affair,
knowing, as so many did, that you were a friend of theirs, and of
Redgrave too.'

'I knew Mr. Redgrave,' said Alma, 'but I was no friend of his.'

Dymes peered at her.

'Didn't he interest himself a good deal in your business?'

'Not more than many other people.'

'Well, I'm very glad to hear that,' said Dymes, looking about the room.
'I tell you, honestly, that whenever I have a chance of sp