"Pratt? Where have I heard that name?" murmured Byrd to himself. "But nothing came of it," Hickory continued. "She was not over and above smart they say, and though pretty enough, did not hold his fancy. Some folks declare she was so disappointed she left town." "Pratt, Pratt!" repeated Byrd to himself. "Ah! I know now," he suddenly exclaimed. "While I stood around amongst the crowd, the morning Mrs. Clemmens was murdered, I remember overhearing some one say how hard she was on the Pratt girl." "Humph!" ejaculated Mr. Gryce. "The widow was hard on any one Mr. Orcutt chose to admire." "I don't understand it," said Byrd. "Nor I," rejoined Mr. Gryce; "but I intend to before the week is out." Then abruptly: "When did Mrs. Clemmens come to this town?" "Fifteen years ago," replied Byrd. "And Orcutt--when did he first put in an appearance here?" "At very much the same time, I believe." "Humph! And did they seem to be friends at that time?" "Some say Yes, some say No." "Where did he come from--have you learned?" "From some place in Nebraska, I believe." "And she?" "Why, she came from some place in Nebraska too!" "The _same_ place?" "That we must find out." Mr. Gryce mused for a minute; then he observed: "Mr. Orcutt was renowned in his profession. Do you know any thing about his career--whether he brought a reputation for ability with him, or whether his fame was entirely made in this place?" "I think it was made here. Indeed, I have heard that it was in this court he pleaded his first case. Don't you know more about it, Hickory?" "Yes; Mr. Ferris told me this morning that Orcutt had not opened a law-book when he came to this town. That he was a country schoolmaster in some uncivilized district out West, and would never have been any thing more, perhaps, if the son of old Stephen Orcutt had not died, and thus made a vacancy in the law-office here which he was immediately sent for to fill." "Stephen Orcutt? He was the uncle of this man, wasn't he?" "Yes." "And quite a lawyer too?" "Yes, but nothing like Tremont B. _He_ was successful from the start. Had a natural aptitude, I suppose--must have had, to pick up the profession in the way he did." "Boys," cried Mr. Gryce, after another short ruminative pause, "the secret we want to know is of long standing; indeed, I should not be surprised if it were connected with his life out West. I will tell you why I think so. For ten years Mrs. Clemmens has been known to put money in the bank regularly every week. Now, where did she get that money? From Mr. Orcutt, of course. What for? In payment for the dinner he usually took with her? No, in payment of her silence concerning a past he desired kept secret." "But they have been here fifteen years and she has only received money for ten." "She has only put money in the bank for ten; she may have been paid before that and may not. I do not suppose he was in a condition to be very lavish at the outset of his career."