"Yes, I thought so; and I was determined to put a stop to such meetings by giving Milly a good talking to, and threatening to tell Mr. Herne. You need not look at me so severely, Mr. Mexton," continued Miss Clyde, throwing back her head. "Milly was behaving badly towards Herne, and even if I had not been in love with the man she was flirting with. I think, as an older woman, and one who had known her from childhood, I had the right to point out to her how wrongly she was acting." "No doubt, Miss Clyde; but you chose a bad time for such interference." "I deny that," said the lady tranquilly. "Milly always denied to me that she met with Mr. Lovel; and he lied in the same way. My only chance of reproving the pair properly was to catch them together. Therefore I told John--my groom, you know--to drive on to the house of Dr. Lester, whither Mrs. Drass had gone to consult him; and I went in search of those two young fools." "Did you find them?" asked Paul, rather foolishly it must be confessed. "What a question, after what Brent told you!" retorted Miss Clyde. "Yes, I found them--but not at once. Lucas gave me the slip, and I searched for him in the wrong direction--down by the river, where I thought they might be wandering under the willows. They were not there, however, though I wasted some time in looking for them. At length it struck me that they might be in the Winding Lane; and when I got there I saw them sure enough. But I must confess," said Miss Clyde with much disgust, "that I wondered they should choose a place haunted by all the rustic lovers of the neighbourhood." "There were no rustic lovers on that night." "No; I believe they had all gone to some revival meeting at the Methodist Chapel. It was half-past eight when I got to the lane, and I saw only Brent coming down towards the village." "Yes; to meet Jane Bilway in St. Dunstan's Square, and take her to the Methodist Chapel." "Hm! and he met me apparently following Lucas and Milly," said Miss Clyde; "wherewith he accuses me of the murder. I'll be even with him for that--the brute! As a matter of fact, I did not see the two until I passed Brent; then I espied them walking arm-in-arm towards the stile which leads on to the common." "Did you speak to them then?" "No," confessed Miss Clyde frankly, "for to tell you the truth, I did not like the part I was playing. It was too like that of a spy. I stopped at the other end of the lane--near the town--and waited till they should come back, when I intended to meet them as if by accident. But I never saw them again that night. Poor Milly!" sighed Miss Clyde, "I little thought I had looked on her pretty face for the last time." "How was it you did not see them again?" asked Paul curiously.