“It would seem,” said Mr. Chichester gravely, as she paused for a while, “that he did not even supply her with alimony—­that is, if the child’s story be true.”

“Probably she refused to accept any.  I think we must suppose that, in justice to her—­and to him.  Let me finish my confession. . . .  I thought I could never endure to look on the woman; I have never, as a fact, set eyes on her.  I don’t know that she ever knew of my existence.  If we meet, t’other side of the grave, there’ll be a deal to be discussed between us before we straighten things out; but I’ll have to start by going up and introducing myself and telling her that, in the end, she beat me. . . .  Yes, parson, you’ll hardly believe it, but one day, finding myself in Plymouth, I took a boat from Admiral’s Hard, and crossed over to Maker Parish to make inquiries.  This was two years later, and she had gone—­moved with her father (God help her, like me she hadn’t a mother) to some station on the east coast—­the folk in Cawsand and Kingsand couldn’t tell me where.  But they told me a child had been born; which was new to me.  They weren’t sure that it was alive, and were wholly vague about the father—­called him Chandon, to be sure, but supposed the name to be spelt with an ‘S’ as pronounced; told me he was an officer in the Navy, reputed to be an earl’s son.  Gossip had arrived no nearer.  She was respectable, all agreed; no doubt about her marriage lines; and the register confirmed it, with the right spelling—­the marriage and, ten months later, the boy’s christening.  Arthur Miles was the name.  That is all, or almost all.  It seems that towards the end of his time there her father became maudlin in his wits; and the woman—­her maiden name had been Reynolds, Helen Reynolds—­relied for help and advice upon an old shipmate of his, also a coast-guard, called Ned Commins.  It was Ned Commins they followed when he was moved to the east coast, the father being by this time retired on a pension.  And that is really all.  I was weary, ashamed of my curiosity, and followed the search no further.”

“You must follow it now,” said Parson Chichester quietly.

“That’s understood.”

“What do you propose as the first step?”

“Why, to ride to Meriton to-morrow, and get Miles Chandon’s address.  He’s somewhere in the South of France.  It’s ten years or so since we parted, that evening of the funeral; but a telegram from me will fetch him, or I am mistaken.”

“Let me save you some trouble.  To-morrow is Sunday, and my parishioners will be glad enough to escape a sermon at Morning Service.  Let me cut the sermon and ride over to Meriton, get the address and bring it to Culvercoombe.  I ought to reach there by three in the afternoon, but the precise hour does not matter, since in these parts there’s no telegraphing before Monday.”

“That’s a good neighbourly offer, and I’ll accept it,” answered Miss Sally.  “I could ride over to Meriton myself, of course.  But Tossell has promised to bring the children to Culvercoombe in the early afternoon, and this will give you an excuse to be present.  Some questions may occur to you between this and then; and, anyway, I’d like to have you handy.”