at did it mean?"

Nettleton glanced at Simon Crood and smiled.

"Just what it's come to, at last," he said. "Exposure--and disgrace!"

"Well," said Meeking, when a murmur of excited feeling had once more run
round the court, "a more particular question, Mr. Nettleton. Did the
late Mayor ever come to your office in the course of his
investigations?"

"He did, frequently. Not that I had much to show him. But he carefully
examined all the books and papers of which I was in possession."

"Did he make notes?"

"Notes and memoranda--yes. At considerable length, sometimes."

"What in?"

"In a thickish memorandum book, with a stout cover of red leather, which
he always carried in his pocket."

"Could you identify that book if you saw it?"

"Certainly! Besides, you would find it full of his notes and figures."

"That will do for the present, Mr. Nettleton, unless my friend here
wants to examine you. No? Then recall Superintendent Hawthwaite for a
moment. Superintendent, you have just heard of a certain pocket-book
which belonged to the late Mayor. Was it found on his dead body, or on
his desk, or anywhere, after the murder? No? Not after the most careful
and thorough search? Completely disappeared? Very good. Now let us have
Louisa Speck."

A smartly-dressed, self-possessed young woman came forward, and Tansley,
nudging Brent, whispered that this was Mallett's parlour-maid and that
things were getting deuced interesting.

CHAPTER XXII

THE PARLOUR-MAID

That the appearance of Louisa Speck in the witness-box came as something
more than an intense surprise to at any rate two particular persons in
that court was evident at once to Brent's watchful eye. Mrs. Mallett, a
close observer of what was going on, started as her parlour-maid's name
was called, and lifting her eye-glass surveyed the girl with a wondering
stare of prolonged inspection. And in the dock Krevin Crood also let a
start of astonishment escape him; he, too, stared at Louisa Speck, and a
frown showed itself between his eyebrows, as if he were endeavouring to
explain her presence to himself. Suddenly it cleared, and he indulged
his fancies with a sharp laugh, and turning to Simon made some whispered
observation. Simon nodded sullenly, as if he comprehended; from that
point forward he kept his small eyes firmly fixed on the witness.
Tansley, too, noticed these things, and bent towards his companion with
a meaning glance.

"This young woman k