'No, I'm not sure. Gideon knows most things. But the person concerned is usually the last to hear such talk. And, in case he has no suspicion, I think we should tell him.' 'And get him to issue, through the _Fact_, a semi-official declaration that "the whole story is a tissue of lies."' Then I wished I hadn't used that particular phrase. It was an unfortunate one. It suggested a similarity between Lady Pinkerton's story and Mr. Bullitt's, between Arthur Gideon's denial and Lloyd George's. Jukie's eyes met mine swiftly, not dreamy and introspective as usual, but keen and thoughtful. 'Katherine,' he said, 'we may as well have this out. It won't hurt Gideon here. _Is_ it a lie? I believe so, but, frankly, I don't feel certain. I don't know what to think. Do you?' I considered it, looking at it all ways. The recent past, Arthur's attitude and Jane's, were all lit up by this horrible flare of light which was turned upon them. 'No,' I said at last. 'I don't know, either.... We can't assume for certain that it is a lie.' Jukie let out a long breath, and leant forward in his chair, resting his head on his hands. 'Poor old Gideon,' he said. 'It might have happened, without any intention on his part. If Hobart found him there with Jane ... and if they quarrelled ... Gideon's got a quick temper, and Hobart always made him see red.... He might have hit him--pushed him down, without meaning to injure him--and then it would be done. And then--if he did it--he must have left the house at once ... perhaps not knowing he'd killed him. Perhaps he didn't know till afterwards. And then Jane might have asked him not to say anything ... I don't know. I don't know. Perhaps it's nonsense; perhaps it _is_ a tissue of lies. I hope to God it is.... I only know one thing that makes me even suspect it may be true, and that is that Gideon has been absolutely miserable, and gone about like a man half stunned, ever since it happened. _Why_?' He shot the question at me, hoping I had some answer. But I had none. I shook my head. 'Well,' said Jukie sadly, 'it isn't, I suppose, our business whether he did or didn't do it. That's between him and--himself. But it _is_ our business, whether he's innocent or guilty, to put him on his guard against this talk. It's for you or me to do that, Katherine. Will you?' 'If you like.' 'I'd rather you did it, if you will ... I think he's less likely to think that you're trying to find things out.... You see, I warned him once before, about another thing, and he might think I was linking it in my mind with that.' 'With Jane,' I said, and he nodded.