'
'Why, no,' replied that lady, with some strangeness of manner. 'On the
night of the fire, Annie and I slept at Mr Elsworthy's' (I have
omitted to notice, that my brother-in-law and family had returned to
their old residence), 'and Mr Dutton remained in London, whither he
had gone to see the play.'
'But the servants might have perished?'
'No. A whim, apparently, has lately seized Mr Dutton, that no servant
or labourer shall sleep under the same roof with himself; and those
new outhouses, where their bedrooms are placed are, you see,
completely detached, and are indeed, as regards this dwelling, made
fire-proof.'
At this moment Mr Dutton appeared, and interrupted our conversation.
He took me aside. 'Well,' he said, 'to what conclusion have you come?
The work of an incendiary, is it not? Somebody, too, that knows I am
not insured'----
'Not insured!'
'No; not for this dwelling-house. I did not renew the policy some
months ago.'
'Then,' I jestingly remarked, 'you, at all events, are safe from any
accusation of having set fire to your premises with the intent to
defraud the insurers.'
'To be sure--to be sure, I am,' he rejoined with quick earnestness, as
if taking my remark seriously. 'That is quite certain. Some one, I am
pretty sure it must be,' he presently added, 'that owes me a
grudge--with whom I have quarrelled, eh?'
'It may be so, certainly.
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