I saw him when I left the hotel--he had telephoned to me and made the appointment at the shop where I slipped the detectives, and it was there that he told me----" she stopped suddenly and went red.
"He told you I was fond of you," said Tarling quietly, and she nodded.
"He threatened to take advantage of that fact, and wanted to show you the confession." "I see," said Tarling, and heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"Thank God!" he said fervently.
"For what ?" she asked, looking at him in astonishment.
"That everything is clear.

To-morrow I will arrest the murderer of Thornton Lyne!" "No, no, not that," she said, and laid her hand on his shoulder, her distressed face looking into his, "surely not that.

Mr.Milburgh could not have done it, he could not be so great a scoundrel." "Who sent the wire to your mother saying you were not coming down ?" "Milburgh," replied the girl.
"Did he send two wires, do you remember ?" said Tarling.
She hesitated.
"Yes, he did," she said, "I don't know who the other was to." "It was the same writing anyway," he said.
"But----" "Dear," he said, "you must not worry any more about it.

There is a trying time ahead of you, but you must be brave, both for your own sake and for your mother's, and for mine," he added.
Despite her unhappiness she smiled faintly.
"You take something for granted, don't you ?" she asked.
"Am I doing that ?" he said in surprise.
"You mean--" she went redder than ever--"that I care enough for you--that I would make an effort for your sake ?" "I suppose I do," said Tarling slowly, "it's vanity, I suppose ?" "Perhaps it is instinct," she said, and squeezed his arm.
"I must take you back to your mother's place," he said.
The walk from the house to the station had been a long and tedious one.
The way back was surprisingly short, even though they walked at snail's pace.