“Any children?” “No, sir.” “Where did they live?” “Out along the Buckland road about ten minutes’ walk from the works. Place called Soller. They say it’s the name of some foreign town where he’d met the lady and popped the question, but of course I don’t know anything about that.” “Then he was a traveller, Mr. Berlyn?” “Yes; used to go away to France and such places when he had holidays.” “Wise man,” French commented. “And how did the match turn out?” For the first time the sergeant hesitated. “There, Mr. French, you have me. I couldn’t really tell you. From all accounts they got on as well as most people whose tastes differ. He was quiet and liked sitting at home in the evenings, and she wanted a bit of life. There’s not much of what you might call gaiety in this town, as you may guess, but whatever there was Mrs. Berlyn was in the centre of it. At first he used to go out with her to Torquay and so on, but he gradually gave that up and she had to find some one else to go with or stay at home.” “And she found some one?” “Any number. The gentlemen up at the works, mostly. They were all glad to go with her! Colonel Domlio had been taking her about lately—I mean before Mr. Berlyn’s death—and before that it was Mr. Pyke and sometimes Mr. Cowls, the engineer. She was friends, too, with Dr. and Mrs. Lancaster, and I’ve often seen her out with people called Tucker that live close by.” All this seemed suggestive to French and his facile brain was already building up tentative theories. “Was there ever any suggestion of anything between Mrs. Berlyn and any of those men?” “There was a bit of talk at one time, but I don’t believe there was anything in it.” “But there was talk. Just tell me what was said.” “She was talked about with Mr. Pyke. They certainly saw a deal of each other at one time. He was constantly at the house and they went out motoring together. She was a top-hole driver.” “You say they saw a deal of each other at one time. Did that not continue?” “It was supposed to come to an end about four months before the tragedy. But that’s only local gossip and I can’t vouch for it. All the same, I don’t remember seeing them motoring since, except once when Mr. Pyke’s cousin came for three or four days.” “And you have no idea what happened?” “No, sir. Some said the lady heard of the talk and thought she had gone far enough; others, that Mr. Berlyn got wise to it; and others again, that they got tired of each other. I don’t know. Whatever happened, it was all quite amicable, for I’ve seen them together different times since.” “And was that the only time there was talk?” “After that there was talk about her and Colonel Domlio. But you know, Mr. French, in a place this size they’re hard up for something to talk about. I don’t believe there was anything in either story.” “Tell me what was said anyway.”