He was a detective!

"A gen'lman like you could well spare a poor man a penny," the fellow whined, but there was a note of menace in his voice. Cyril tried to get a good look at him, but the light was too dim for him to distinguish his features clearly.

Hastily covering the jewels, Cyril thrust a coin into the grimy hand.

"Go!" he commanded, "go, or I'll call the police."

The man sank out of sight.

"My poor little girl, my poor little girl," murmured Cyril disconsolately, as he glanced once more at the incriminating jewels."Thanks, awfully! So you leave me the pleasant task of running off with a servant-girl who is 'wanted' by the police! You are really too unselfish!" "Miss Prentice is a lady," Cyril angrily asserted. "H'm," Campbell ejaculated skeptically. "That she is a beauty I do not doubt, and she has certainly played her cards very skillfully." "Don't you dare to speak of her like that," cried Cyril, clenching his fists and half starting to his feet. "By Jove, old man! You're smitten with her," exclaimed Campbell, staring aghast at his friend. Cyril flushed darkly under his tan. "Certainly not, but I have the greatest respect for this unfortunate young woman, and don't you forget it again." Campbell smiled incredulously. "Oh, very well! Believe what you like, but I didn't think you were the sort of man who never credits a fellow with disinterested motives, if he behaves halfway decently to a woman." "Steady now, Cyril. Don't let's quarrel. You mustn't take offence so easily. I have never seen the young lady, remember. And you know I will help you even against my better judgment." "You're a good chap, Guy." "Thanks! Now let us first of all consider Miss Prentice's case dispassionately. I want to be sure of my facts; then I may be able to form some conjecture as to why Wilmersley was murdered and how the jewels came into Miss Prentice's possession. You tell me that it has been proved that she really left Geralton on the afternoon before the murder?" "Yes; the carrier swears he drove her into Newhaven and put her down near the station. Further than that they have luckily not been able to trace her." "Now your idea is that Miss Prentice, having in some way managed to secure a car, returned to Geralton that evening and got into the castle through the library window?" "No, I doubt if she entered the castle. I can think of no reason why she should have done so," said Cyril. "In that case, how do you account for her injuries? Who could have flogged her except 

 Prev. P 61/173 next