"A mistake that under the present dispensation of things might prove awkward for me," said Etwald. "I was no friend to the dead man; I did not like him, nor he me. We both loved the same woman--we were rivals. What then so easy as for you to say--for a jury to believe--that I had stolen the devil-stick and killed Mr. Alymer, so as to get him out of my way." "I never thought of such a thing," protested Jen. "I do not suspect you." "Then whom do you suspect?" asked Etwald, fixing his dark eyes on the major. "Dido--the negress, of Mrs. Dallas!" Etwald shook his head and smiled. "But that is ridiculous," said he. "The commission of a crime presupposes a motive. Now what motive had Dido to kill your friend?" "She hated Maurice, and she did not want him to marry Miss Dallas." "Neither did I, if I remember rightly," said Etwald, dryly, "Besides, Dido--as you proved--did not steal the devil-stick. However, if you are suspicious of her, go over to-morrow and see Mrs. Dallas. It will be as well to be sure of your ground before making a public affair of it. By the way, I suppose you will have a detective down from London, to sift the affair to the bottom?" "I don't know; I'm not sure." "I should if I were you. Mr. Sarby is in London. Why not wire up to him to bring down a clever man from Scotland Yard?" "If I thought that--. But," added Jen, breaking off, "how did you know that David was in London?" "Oh!" rejoined Etwald, quietly, "Mr. Alymer told me so to-night." "To-night!" echoed Jen, starting up. "You saw Maurice to-night?" "Certainly! About an hour and a half before he was murdered." "At Deanminster?" "At my house at Deanminster," replied the doctor with great deliberation. "So it was you whom he went to see on business to-night?" Etwald shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know if you call it business," he said, after a pause. "I asked Mr. Alymer to call and see me, and sent the message by that tramp named Battersea." "I remember his coming. Go on, please." "Mr. Alymer called, as I said," continued Etwald, "And then I told him that Miss Dallas was ill from being prevented by her mother from seeing him. That I was sorry for the poor young lady, and that I gave up my position as a rival. In fact," added the doctor, "I advised Mr. Alymer to see Miss Dallas and marry her as soon as he could." "But why did you wish to act in this generous manner?" "For the very simple reason that Miss Dallas is of a delicate and nervous constitution," said Etwald. "If she does not marry Mr. Alymer, with whom she is in love, she may die. I quite forget that I should speak in the past tense now, major. Mr. Alymer is dead, and Miss Dallas may pine away of grief. It was to prevent such a catastrophe from occurring that I surrendered my claim to her hand." "Very generous of you indeed," said Jen, ironically; "but I do not see why you should behave in such a noble manner when you were so much in love with the girl."