“This gives strength to your suspicions?” insinuated Gibbs. “It does,” and the Grenadier sat up even straighter and her face was even more indicative of elation as she added, “it does, indeed!” “And perhaps you will tell us to whom your suspicion points?” urged the detective. “That I will do,” she declared, but Bates broke in with a “Hush, Aunt Letitia! I command you not to speak!” CHAPTER XIII Motives “I’ve got to speak, Ricky,” Miss Prall said, but her tone was not angry now. She seemed to have changed her mood and was half frightened, half sad. “I’ve got to speak, to save myself. Don’t you see that if that paper-cutter points towards me,—as Mr Gibbs implies, I must tell what I know——” “What you know,” assented Bates, “but not what you suspect.” “Yes, ma’am, what you suspect,” directed the detective. “The time has come, Miss Prall, when suspicions must be voiced, whether true or not, in order that we may prove or disprove them.” “Then get up your own suspicions,” cried Bates. “Find your own suspects and prove their guilt or innocence.” “We’re doing that,” Gibbs said, quietly, “but we necessarily depend also on the statements of witnesses.” “But Miss Prall isn’t a witness.” “Not an eye-witness, perhaps, but a material witness, if she knows anything that we want to know.” “She doesn’t know anything you want to know,” exclaimed Eliza Gurney, coming into the room. “But Kate Holland does! If you’re anxious for information get that girl and quiz her!” “Hush up, Eliza,” stormed Letitia. “What did you learn in at the Everett’s, Mr Gibbs?” “I learned that you said you’d kill Sir Herbert Binney yourself, if you were sure you wouldn’t be found out.” “What!” Miss Prall turned perfectly white, but whether with rage or fear, Gibbs didn’t know. “She said that! The little devil! Just let me get at her, once!” “Didn’t you make that remark?” “I did not; but she did, and then, I said I would, too. Neither of us meant it, really, but that’s what was said. The woman is so clever it makes her doubly dangerous!” “But it’s a queer thing for two ladies to be talking about killing anybody.” “Nonsense! It’s done all the time. It doesn’t mean they’d really do it—though sometimes I have thought——” “Aunt Letty!” put in Bates, beseechingly. “I will speak, Richard! Sometimes I have thought that Adeline Everett would be capable of—of anything! Those sleek, fat, complacent people are the very worst sort! I bluster out frankly, but that oily, deceitful woman,—and that Kate of hers,—well, if you want to know my suspicions,—there they are.”