rs everything, and is respectable, but he mostly
parts with it in April. He gets short, and then he--just pawns it."

"But he had it the night of the murder?"

"Yes, Ma'am, he had. Amelia and I remembered it especial. When we
went to bed, which we did soon after ten, it was left in this room,
lying there on the sofa." They were now sitting in the little back
parlour, in which Mrs. and Miss Meager were accustomed to live.

"And it was there in the morning?"

"Father had it on when he went out," said Amelia.

"If we paid him he would get it out of the pawnshop, and bring it to
us, would he not?" asked the lady.

To this Mrs. Meager suggested that it was quite on the cards that Mr.
Meager might have been able to do better with his coat by selling it,
and if so, it certainly would have been sold, as no prudent idea of
redeeming his garment for the next winter's wear would ever enter his
mind. And Mrs. Meager seemed to think that such a sale would not have
taken place between her husband and any old friend. "He wouldn't know
where he sold it," said Mrs. Meager.

"Anyways he'd tell us so," said Amelia.

"But if we paid him to be more accurate?" said Madame Goesler.

"They is so afraid of being took up themselves," said Mrs. Meager.
There was, however, ample evidence that Mr. Meager had possessed a
grey great coat, which during the night of the murder had been left
in the little sitting-room, and which they had supposed to have lain
there all night. To this coat Mr. Emilius might have had easy access.
"But then it was a big man that was seen, and Emilius isn't no ways a
big man. Meager's coat would be too long for him, ever so much."

"Nevertheless we must try and get the coat," said Madame Goesler.
"I'll speak to a friend about it. I suppose we can find your husband
when we want him?"

"I don't know, Ma'am. We never can find him; but then we never do
want him,--not now. The police know him at the races, no doubt. You
won't go and get him into trouble, Ma'am, worse than he is? He's
always been in trouble, but I wouldn't like to be means of making it
worse on him than it is."

Madame Goesler, as she again paid the woman for her services, assured
her that she would do no injury to Mr. Meager. All that she wanted of
Mr. Meager was his grey coat, and that not with any view that could
be detrimental either to his honour or to his safety, and she was
willing to pay any reasonable price,--or almost any unreasonable
pri