“And so,” she went on, “the feud, as it has come to be called, is as strong and well-nourished as ever.” “Yet you two ladies elect to live under the same roof.” “To nurse the feud along,” Bates asserted, and the Grenadier nodded assent. “However,” she added, “Mrs Everett is about to move away.” “What!” cried Richard. “Yes,” repeated his aunt, evidently pleased with the fact, “she is going soon.” “Thus,” offered Corson, “you will be relieved of two undesirable people at once.” “Meaning Mrs Everett and her daughter?” queried Eliza. “Not at all. Meaning Mrs Everett and Sir Herbert Binney.” “Oh!” gasped Miss Prall. “Don’t put it that way!” “Why not? Since it’s the truth. You now can have the pleasure of seeing your nephew pursue——” “Don’t talk about me as if I weren’t here!” exclaimed Richard. “Or as if I were a minor or an incompetent! I’m devoted to my aunt; I love, honor and obey her, but I’m a man with a mind of my own. And when it runs counter to the desires or plans of my aunt—well, we must fight it out between ourselves. However, Mr Corson, I can’t see that the affairs of my aunt and myself, or the affairs of my aunt and her fellow-feudist, Mrs Everett, have any connection with or bearing on the murder of Sir Herbert Binney. If they seem to you to have such a bearing, I think it is right that you should tell us all about it.” “I take it, then, that we are working in unison,—at least, in concord?” “You may certainly assume that as far as I am concerned,” said Bates, but the two women present seemed by their silence to reserve judgment. “First, Miss Prall, I’d like to hear from you what plans Sir Herbert had, so far as you know, regarding the sale of his great bakery business.” “I know a great deal about that, Mr Corson, as Sir Herbert not only discussed the matter with me, but did me the honor to ask my advice, considering that my judgment was of value.” “No doubt. And you advised him?” “I advised him to sell out to Crippen,—of _Crippen’s Cakes_. You know of the firm?” “Yes, indeed; who doesn’t? It’s the largest of its sort in the country.” “Unless one excepts the Vail Bakery. But that’s bread.” “And aren’t buns bread?” “That was part of the controversy. However, Sir Herbert and Mr Vail had their bout before the matter was taken up by the Crippen people. Mr Vail didn’t see his way clear to combine his bread with Sir Herbert’s buns. But Mr Crippen thought the buns would go well with his cake business, and they were on the point of coming to an agreement in the matter. Indeed, Sir Herbert told me he expected to see Mr Crippen last evening——” “He didn’t. I’ve interviewed Mr Crippen and he told me so.” “Might they not have met after the Magnifique supper?” “What!” Corson looked at Miss Prall in surprise. “You mean——”