David had been studying the case from the morrow of the inquest, that is as soon as Rossiter had learnt of the coming trouble.

The latter though he regarded Cousin Arbella as a rather amusing minx, an interesting type in modern psychology (though really her type is as old as--say--the Hallstadt period) had no wish to see her convicted of murder.

Furthermore he was getting so increasingly interested in this clever David Williams that he would have liked to make his fortune by helping him to a sensational success as a pleader, to one of those cases which if successfully conducted mark out a path to the Bench.

So he insisted that David Williams be briefed for the defence, and well fee'ed, in order that he might be able to devote all his time to the investigation of the mystery.

David had an uphill task.