"I will do so, Paul; you may command me," replied the man, submissively. "Very good, doctor. You know that Milly was engaged to Darcy Herne?" "Yes, I know that; everyone knew it." "And that Lucas Lovel admired Milly so much that he wished to marry her?" "I know that also," said Lester, with a clouded face. "It was my poor child's meetings with that man which indirectly brought about her death." "We will talk of that later," replied Paul; "but I want to know if Lovel ever saw you with reference to his passion?" "Yes, he did. About a week before Milly's death he came and told me that he loved her." "What did you do?" "I told him that he was a scoundrel to speak so, seeing that my daughter was engaged to Squire Herne. Then I showed him the door." "Did he take the hint?" "No. He said that he had come to inform me that Herne was not a fit husband for Milly." "Oh!" said Paul, recalling the accusations of Lovel, in the presence of himself and Chaskin when on the spot where the murder had taken place; "he said that Herne led a double life, didn't he?" "Yes!" replied Lester in surprise. "How did you know?" "I heard something of it before from Lovel himself. Tell me exactly what was said." Lester thought for a moment. "He said that Herne was in love with a violinist called Catinka." "I know Catinka," said Paul; "she is a Polish woman, and gave concerts in this city. I saw her once or twice, but I did not have much conversation with her." "Is she beautiful?" "She is very beautiful," replied Mexton, blushing; "I admired her very much; indeed, I fancied at one time that I was in love with her. But I see now that I was mistaken." "How long is it since you saw her?" "About a year. But tell me, doctor, what else did Lovel say?" "Nothing much," replied Lester, with a shrug. "He declared that Herne went to visit Catinka in Bloomsbury Square." "Oh, is that the address?" said Paul, taking out his note-book. "It is. Number one thousand, Bloomsbury Square," said Lester. "Why do you make a note of it?" "I'll tell you later on. What did you say to Lovel?" "I told him that I would ask Herne as to the truth of these accusations." "Did you do so?" "I did. The very next time that he called at the house I saw him myself, and told him what Lovel said." "Did he defend himself?" "No." was Lester's unexpected reply. "He said that he knew Catinka well, and that he often visited her in London; but that his friendship with her was nothing to which Milly, or I, as Milly's father, could object." "How did he explain this friendship?" "On the ground that Catinka was a fellow-worker with him to help the afflicted. From what I can gather the lady seems to be a kind of Socialist, who uses her profession to mask her real business, which is intriguing against Russia. She wishes, so Herne said, to free her country, and enlisted him in her society." "Oh, she has a society, then?"