"Till that time comes," replied Octavius, putting on his coat, "we need not meet." "As monsieur please." "Good-bye, Monsieur Guinaud." "Au revoir, monsieur." "I said good-bye." "Eh! yes! I replied 'Au revoir,' monsieur." Octavius turned on his heel without another word, and left the room. In the passage he met Mrs. Binter, hovering round in the hope of supper being ordered. She at once took Fanks in charge, and conducting him to the door, released him from prison with manifest reluctance. Meanwhile Monsieur Judas, left alone, was leaning against the mantelpiece with a smile on his evil face. "Eh! Monsieur Axton," he said to himself, in a whisper, "you gave me the insult. To-night I have paid the debt--in part! Wait, Monsieur Axton; wait, Meess Var-rlins; I hold you both. It is I, Jules Guinaud, that can strike--when I wish." Extracts From A Detective's Note-Book "I don't believe second thoughts are best. I always go by first impressions . . . My first impressions of Judas--I give him his nickname--are bad . . . He's a slimy scoundrel, very difficult to deal with . . . In our interview of to-night I had to tell him more than I cared he should know . . . But it was my only chance of finding out anything . . . What I did find out looks very bad for Roger Axton . . . He was at Ironfields, in spite of his denial . . . He stayed at Binter's boarding-house, and knew Melstane intimately . . . I learn from Judas that they quarrelled bitterly . . . This is very bad . . . Roger left Ironfields in a rage against Melstane . . . When next seen he is down at Jarlchester in the same house as Melstane . . . He has a grudge against Melstane, and while he is under the same roof Melstane dies . . . God forgive me if I should be suspecting my old schoolfellow wrongfully, but things look very suspicious against him . . . Another thing I learned from Judas, viz., that Miss Varlins corresponded with Roger at Jarlchester. "Query! Can she know anything about the death? "I have written to Axton, asking him to come down here and see me . . . If he refuses, I'm afraid my suspicions will be confirmed . . . I wish I could disbelieve Judas . . . He looks a secretive scoundrel . . . and yet his story against Roger is confirmed by my own experience . . . I think--no, I dare not think . . . I will wait to hear the other side of the story from Axton . . ." Chapter 7 An Unwilling Bride