"Suspect!" sneered Hawthwaite. "Lord! You wait till Simon and Krevin are brought up before the magistrates to-morrow morning! We've got the whole evidence so absolutely full and clear that we can go right full steam ahead with the case to-morrow. Meeking'll prosecute, and I hope to get 'em committed before the afternoon's over." "Look here," said Brent, "tell me--what's the line? How does the thing stand?" "Thus," replied Hawthwaite. "We shall charge Krevin with the murder of your cousin, and Simon with being accessory to the fact." "Before or after?" asked Brent. "Before!" "And those other two--Mallett and Coppinger?" "Same charge as Simon." Brent took a turn or two about the room. "That," he remarked, pausing at last in front of Hawthwaite's desk, "means that there was a conspiracy?" "To be sure!" assented Hawthwaite. "Got proof of it!" "Then I wish you'd laid hands on Mallett and Coppinger," said Brent. "You've no idea of their whereabouts, I suppose?" "None, so far," replied Hawthwaite. "Nor can I make out how or precisely when they slipped off. But they are off. Oddly enough, Mrs. Mallett's back in the town--I saw and spoke to her an hour ago. Of course she knows nothing about Mallett. She didn't come back to him. I don't know what she came back for. She's staying with friends, down Waterdale." "What time will these men be brought up to-morrow morning?" asked Brent. "Ten o'clock sharp," answered Hawthwaite. "And I hope that before the end of the afternoon they'll have been fully committed to take their trial! As I said just now, we can go straight on. Careful preparation makes speedy achievement, Mr. Brent! And by the Lord Harry, we've done some preparing!" "If only the whole thing is cleared ... at last," said Brent quietly. "You think ... now ... it will be?" Hawthwaite smacked his hand on his blotting-pad. "Haven't the shadow of a doubt, Mr. Brent, that Krevin Crood murdered your cousin!" he asserted. "But you'll hear for yourself to-morrow. Come early. And a word of advice----" "Yes?" Brent inquired. "Leave your young lady at home," said Hawthwaite. "No need for her feelings to be upset. They're her uncles, these two, after all, you know. Don't bring her." "No; of course," assented Brent. "Never intended to."