"By the same way? To Dr. Wellesley's drawing-room?" "Yes." "What happened then?" "I told Dr. Wellesley that the Mayor had somebody with him and that they appeared to be having high words, and as I didn't want to stop he suggested that I should come again next evening. Then I went home." "In the same way--by the private door into Piper's Passage?" "Exactly." "Did Dr. Wellesley go downstairs with you and let you out?" "He did." "See anybody about on that occasion?" "No--no one." Meeking paused, and after a glance round the table at which he was standing looked at his notes. "Now, Mrs. Mallett," he said presently, "what time was this--I mean, when you left Dr. Wellesley's?" "A little before a quarter to eight. The clock struck a quarter to eight just after I got into my own house." "And--where is your house?" "Next door to the Moot Hall. Dr. Wellesley's house is on one side of the Moot Hall; ours is on the other." "It would take you a very short time, then, to go home?" "A minute or two." "Very well. And you went to Dr. Wellesley's at 7.30?" "Just about that." "Then you were with him most of the time you were there--in his drawing-room?" "Certainly! All the time except for the two or three minutes spent in going to the Mayor's Parlour." "Talking to Dr. Wellesley?" "Of course! What do you suppose I went for?" "That's just what I want to find out!" retorted Meeking, with a glance that took in the audience, now all agog with excitement. "Will you tell us, Mrs. Mallett?" Mrs. Mallett's handsome face became rigid, and her well-cut lips fixed themselves in a straight line. But she relaxed them to rap out one word. "No!" "Come, now, Mrs. Mallett! This is a serious, a very serious inquiry. It is becoming more serious the more it becomes mysterious, and it is becoming increasingly mysterious. You have already told us that you went secretly to Dr. Wellesley's house in order that you might see him and, afterwards, the Mayor, Mr. Wallingford. Now, you must have had some very special reason, or cause, for these interviews. Tell me what it was. What was it, Mrs. Mallett?" "No! That's my business! Nobody else's. I shall not say." "Does Dr. Wellesley know what it was?" "Of course!" "Would the Mayor have known if you'd seen him?" "Considering that that was the object I had in wanting to see him, of course he would!" retorted Mrs. Mallett. "I should think that's obvious." "But you didn't see him, eh?" "You know very well I didn't!" "Pardon me, madam," said Meeking with lightning-like promptitude. "I don't know anything of the sort! However, does anyone else know of this--business?" "That, too, is my concern," declared Mrs. Mallett, who had bridled indignantly at the barrister's swift reply. "I shan't say." "Does your husband know of it?" "I'm not going to say that, either!" "Did your husband--who, I believe, is one of the Town Trustees--did he know of your visit to Dr. Wellesley's house on this particular occasion?"