d he didn't
like being asked about circumstances of her dismissal; noticed his wife
hadn't come to see him off. Yes, thought it odd. Sabre had explained
wife had a cold, but saw Mrs. Sabre in Tidborough very next day. Yes,
thought the whole thing funny because had frequently seen Sabre and the
girl together during Sabre's leave. Any particular occasion? Well, did
it really matter? Must he really answer? Yes, notably in the Cloister
tea rooms late one evening. Well, yes, had thought their behavior odd,
secretive. Sabre's position in the office? Well, was it really necessary
to go into that? Well, had to admit Sabre was no longer a member of the
firm. Had been suspended during intimacy with the deceased, now
dismissed consequent upon this grave development. Had he ever had
occasion in the past, in earlier days, to remonstrate with Sabre
concerning attitude towards girl? Well, scarcely liked to say so, hated
to say so, but certainly there had been such occasions. Yes, had spoken
seriously to Sabre about it.

"There ripped across the court as he said that, old man, a woman's voice
from the back. 'It's a lie. It's an abominable lie. And you know it's a
lie!'

"By Jove, I tell you! I nearly swallowed my back teeth with the effect
of the thing. Give you my word I thought for a minute it was the girl
come to life and walked in out of her coffin. That voice! High and clear
and fine and true as an Angelus bell across a harvest field. 'It's a
lie. It's an abominable lie; and you know it's a lie!'

"Eh? Terrific? I tell you terrific isn't the word. It was the Fairfax
business at the trial of King Charles over again. It absolutely was.
Buddha nearly had a fit: 'Silence! How dare you, madam! Turn out that
woman! Who is that?'

"Commotion. A woman pressed out from the mob behind and walked up the
court like a goddess, like Portia, by Jove, like Euphrosyne. 'Let no one
dare to touch me,' she said. 'I am Lady Tybar. Every one knows me here.
I've just come in. Just heard. This shameful business. All of you
killing him between you.' She pointed a hand at Twyning. 'And you. I
tell you before all this court, and you may take what steps you like, I
tell you that you are a liar, an experienced and calculating liar.' And
she went with that to old Sabre and stooped over him and touched him
with both her hands and said, 'Marko, Marko.'

"You know she'd got that blooming court stiff and cold. The suddenness
and the decision and the--the arr