"Such an accusation is ridiculous!" said the other, with an attempt at dignity. "Is it likely that I would dress up as a woman to----" "You were always good in amateur theatricals," said Vane remorselessly. "And you would do anything to get the two thousand a year, which, by the way, you are not likely to enjoy." "My enemy speaks," said Spruce dramatically. "It's one thing to say a thing and another thing to prove a thing." "You are quite epigrammatic!" sneered the barrister. "Hush, Jim, and let the boy speak. He can prove that Spruce is guilty." "I just can," said Bottles promptly, and greatly enjoying his _rôle_ of detective. "For I've watched you, Mr. Spruce, for ever so long. I watched Madame Alpenny first, thinking she meant harm to Mr. Hench." "Why should she have meant harm?" asked Vane quickly, for he was not so well acquainted with the story as his friend. "Oh, she knew something about him, and said that he was a mystery. I heard her talking to Miss Zara, and then I heard something of the talk in the drawingroom, when she said as she knowed Mr. Hench's father. She asked me for an A.B.C., too, she did, and left it open on the table. I looked and saw on the page the timetable for Cookley. I didn't know she was going there, as other time-tables were on the page, but I thought it was queer seeing Cookley, considering that my brother was down here with Mrs. Perage." "It's all rubbish, of course," said Spruce, with a kind of hysterical cackle. "But what did you do then?" "I watched. When she went away I got my holiday and follered. She did go to Cookley, and so did you, Mr. Spruce." "It's a lie, you imp. I didn't!" "You did!" insisted the lad. "And it was your follering Madame Alpenny as made me watch you. I knowed as you wasn't up to any good. Me and Simon follered you both, and when Madame Alpenny went into the Grange you hung about in the midst of the trees waiting for her. Then you follered her when she went into the wood to see the old cove at that stile, and heard everything." "Admitting all this," said Spruce, appealing to the two men, "how does it connect me with the murder and this masquerade, which is so ridiculous?" "Oh, I'll connect you, right enough," said Bottles tartly. "Don't you make any mistake, sir. I ain't read detective stories for nothing. When you came back I watched you and I watched Madame. Then you made friends with the manager of the Bijou Music-hall,"