"Don't see why they should talk," said the officer bluffly. "Sir Hector pays his way and keeps himself quiet. Ain't any of my business, or of yours." "But he never sees no one, and never comes out, and never has any callers." "He's got one to-night," said Jervis unexpectedly. "You know Sankey?" "Him as drives the trap to and fro this place and Redleigh?" Jervis nodded and stuck his big thumbs in his belt. "Got a rotten old fly on the job. Well, I saw it to-night with a fare in it, when Sankey stopped to ask me where Maranatha was. I gave him the tip as it was in Ladysmith Road, so Sankey drove off. I wonder his blessed old nag did the three miles without falling a corpse." "Did you see who was the fare?" asked Hall, pondering. "No. Wasn't any of my business. I see you're as curious as the rest of 'em about that bar'nit. Why, Mrs. Craver herself has asked questions by the dozen, as you might say. Anyhow, Sankey left his passenger at Maranatha and drove back to Redleigh, for I see him returning." "Oh," remarked Hall, in guttural tones, "so his fare stops all night with Sir Hector, I s'pose." "Why shouldn't he or her, for whether the fare was a male or a female I don't rightly know." "Well, Sir Hector ain't 'ad no one to stay with him before." "Dessay," returned the policeman, carelessly, "but he has to make a start. I just tell you what, Hall, you're getting like the rest of the folk hereabouts with their jaw." "Sir Hector do live such a queer life, Jervis." "He lives the life as pleases him, as I s'pose he's got the right to." "I tell you there's something strange in a baronet coming down to this dull place when the weather's so bad," persisted the postman, ominously. "Have you seen the gent?" "Twice. A little gent with a waxed moustache and dressed up to the nines with fine clothes. I touched my helmet but he only nodded, and never stopped to pass the time o' day." "Well, he wouldn't, he being a swell and you only a copper, Jervis." "That's a nasty way of talking, Hall. S'pose I was to report you to your superior for idling when your letter should be delivered." "And s'pose I was to tell Sergeant Purse at Redleigh as you stopped me on the esplanade to gossip about what ain't any business of yours," retorted Hall, tartly. "Two can play at that game, policeman." "Go and earn your salary." said Jervis, loftily, and walked away. "You go and hang yourself," was the not very obvious reply of the postman; and the two opponents were parted by the heavy fog which dropped its curtain between them.