"A foe?" said Paul, puzzled--"and the name of the foe?" "Mother Jimboy." "What! that old fool! How can she defend Lovel?" "She did so to-day by that alibi. She will do so again, you may be sure." "What reason have you to believe that Mrs. Jimboy is implicated in the case!" Iris thought for a moment. "On the day before Milly was killed," she said, slowly, "she and Mr. Lovel met with Gran Jimboy, who prophesied by palmistry that Milly would die a violent death." "You don't say so! Go on." "Well, Milly did perish by violence the next night. I truly believe that she met Lovel in the Winding Lane, and that he killed her." "Why should he kill her? He loved her." "He did--so much that he killed her rather than that Mr. Herne should marry her. I tell you, Paul, that Mr. Lucas is a man of violent passions, and I believe he was egged on by Mother Jimboy to the murder." "Why should Mother Jimboy desire Milly's death?" "I don't know; no more than I can guess why she provided that lying alibi. I am sure that Lovel shot Milly, and then went across the common to Mother Jimboy's tent so as to appear innocent." "But why do you believe all this?" "Because of the prophecy which was fulfilled; because of the unexplained association of Mother Jimboy and Lovel, and because I saw Lovel when I went out after midnight." "You saw Lovel?" said Paul, incredulously. "Yes; I fancied that Dr. Lester might have killed Milly; and to save him I went to look for him. I could not find him on the fatal spot, but there was a man there who ran away when he heard my approach. I saw his face in the moonlight. He was Mr. Lovel." CHAPTER XI. BRENT SPEAKS OUT. "It was Mr. Lovel," repeated Iris; "and if he was not concerned in the murder, what was he doing at midnight on the very spot where it occurred?" "He may have been there after twelve o'clock," said Paul; "but to inculpate him you must prove that he met Milly between eight and nine." "I can't prove it; no one can prove it." "I am not sure of that," replied Paul, with sudden recollection; "there is a man called Brent who was in the Winding Lane on that night, and about that time. I'll see him." Iris shook her head. "If Brent had known anything he would have come forward at the inquest." "No doubt--if he had not been bribed." "What makes you think that Brent has been bribed?" asked Iris, in surprise. "I do not think so; but Herne insists upon it." "Mr. Herne!" said Iris, in a low voice, and with a flush--"he believes Lovel guilty also?" "Yes--and without your grounds for belief. Also, he declares that Lovel bribed Brent to hold his tongue." "Does Mr. Herne think that Brent saw the murder committed?" "Oh, no! but he thinks that Brent saw Lovel with Milly." "I am certain Milly, poor girl, was with Lovel on that night, and I believe he killed her." There was a few minutes' silence, and then Paul turned quickly towards Iris. "I want to ask you a rather rude question," said he, awkwardly. "What is it?"