And sometimes he'd be out at night--and away for days together.

I never asked him anything, of course." "Whatever it was, he retired from it eventually ?" "Yes--just before we came here." "Do you know why Mr.Kitely came here ?" "Well," said Miss Pett, "he'd always said he wanted a nice little place in the country, and preferably in the North.

He came up this way for a holiday some months since, and when he got back he said he'd found just the house and neighbourhood to suit him, so, of course, we removed here." "And you have been here--how long ?" "Just over three months." Brereton let a moment or two elapse before he asked his next question, which was accompanied by another searching inspection of the witness.
"Do you know anything about Mr.Kitely's relations ?" "No!" answered Miss Pett.

"And for a simple reason.

He always said he had none." "He was never visited by anybody claiming to be a relation ?" "Not during the ten years I knew him." "Do you think he had property--money--to leave to anybody ?" Miss Pett began to toy with the fur boa which depended from her thin neck.
"Well--yes, he said he had," she replied hesitatingly.
"Did you ever hear him say what would become of it at his death ?" Miss Pett looked round the court and smiled a little.
"Well," she answered, still more hesitatingly, "he--he always said that as he'd no relations of his own, he'd leave it to me." Brereton leaned a little closer across the table towards the witness-box and dropped his voice.
"Do you know if Mr.Kitely ever made a will ?" he asked.
"Yes," replied Miss Pett.