"Yes, it is. They are back--she is back!" The constable sat down heavily. He looked anything but comfortable. "What?" he said, nervously; "you don't tell me that Pharaoh Lee's tribe's come back?" "As if you didn't know, you villain! I went on to the common myself after the funeral. I heard as they were there; and sure enough I saw them; yes, she's come after you." "Nonsense! Don't I tell you I care nothing for the Zara girl? Ain't I your lawful husband? Ain't I tryin' to get you to Poldew? What's Zara Lovell to me?" "That's just what I'd like to know. Perhaps Mr. Mayne can tell me something about that. Any way, I'll ask him." "Better ask the girl herself," sneered Slade. "Wonder you didn't." "I didn't see her." "You didn't see her!" repeated Slade, with a sense of relief; "ah, perhaps she ain't there." "Whether she's there or whether she ain't, you come 'ome straight from your business every night, or I'll know the reason why, Jeremiah." "Oh, I'll come straight home. Like all women, you're making a row about nothing. How am I going to find out all about this murder if you worry me this way?" "Anything fresh?" asked Mrs. Slade, her curiosity getting the better of her temper. "Nothing since the cord, Jemima; but I'm going to examine the place where the body was hidden. Maybe there's something there that's been overlooked." "Near Pharaoh Lee's camp, ain't it, Jeremiah?" "Oh, confound it, Jemima, you've got that girl on the brain!" "I only hope you haven't," said Mrs. Slade, screwing up her mouth; "you deceive me, Jeremiah, and I'll tell Chard all that you've found out." "Spoil my case, will you, you----" "I don't care." "You'll never get to Poldew." "Then I'll stay here," snapped Jemima, with all the recklessness of a woman prepared to sacrifice anything and everything to gain her end. "If I see you speaking to that slut, Zara, I'll go straight to Chard. So now you know." Slade did know, as he also knew that even though it were to ruin them both, she would carry out her threat. He spent the best part of his dinner-hour trying to explain his position, and to pacify the perturbed Jemima. He succeeded only in rendering her more unreasonable and jealous than ever. Mrs. Slade was nothing if not feminine, and her argumentative tactics were strikingly so. So soon as one position she took up was assailed and destroyed, she retreated to another, until beaten on that, she returned to her initial standpoint. Fearful lest she should drive him through sheer exasperation to use physical violence, Slade left the house. When he banged the door, Jemima sat down victorious, and proceeded to twist up her hair, which had broken loose in her excitement. "Zara, indeed!" she went on viciously to herself. "I'll tear the eyes out of her if I catch her as much as looking at my 'usband." And in this strain the good lady continued until she was tired.