"You know, sir, that if you give him a chance, a man in his position can always pitch some sort of a tale to save his neck. And the worse they are the more they lie like the truth." "That's true enough." The governor sighed. "If ever a man was found guilty on the evidence this man was. If he's not guilty, then I'll never again put my trust in evidence; and so far I've generally found evidence that will stand sifting quite good enough for me. Still, as I say, I'll leave no stone unturned to find the woman of whom he speaks." "And of whom I speak." The governor spoke with a little smile. "Yes, sir, and of whom you speak too." CHAPTER XXXIV. MR. HOLMAN AT HOME. But they looked for her in vain. They did not find her. And the following night Mr. Holman was in the bosom of his family. Mr. Holman's home was in a street off Leicester Square. His family consisted of his wife. Of her he was wont to make a confidant, as he did on the present occasion. Mr. Holman had come up by an afternoon train from Lewes. Mrs. Holman had prepared a meat tea for him on his arrival. He had commenced his attack upon the viands before she began to question him. "So they're going to hang him?" "It would seem as though they were." Mrs. Holman detected something in her husband's tone. "What do you mean? Aren't they going to hang him?" "Did I say they weren't going to hang him? Didn't I say it seems as though they were. Don't you understand Queen's English?" Mrs. Holman was silent for a second or two. "Surely they're not getting up a petition to let him off?" "I've heard nothing at all about it, if they are. But perhaps you've heard more than me. You do sometimes, don't you?" "You don't mean to say that you don't believe he did it. I thought you were sure that he was guilty." "I've been sure of a good many things in my time, and been sorry for it afterwards. I'm not the only leather-headed fool there is about, as perhaps you know." Mrs. Holman was skilled in the inflections of her husband's voice. She perceived that it would be wiser, temporarily, to keep her curiosity in her pocket, and to allow him to finish his meal in peace, which she did and obtained her reward. When the lady's lord and master had eaten and drunk to his heart's content he wiped his lips and he looked at his wife. "What do you think he says?" "I haven't the least idea." "He says that the woman who was found is not the woman who was with him in the train." "A man like him would say anything."