"No; Silver blackmailed on his own. I hoped to get money from Agnes in another way--as her hard-up brother that is. And if--" "Oh, shut up! You make me sick," interrupted Lambert, suppressing a strong desire to choke his cousin. "You are as bad as Silver." "And Silver is as innocent as Lord Garvington," struck in that gentleman, whose face was recovering its natural color. Lambert turned on him sharply. "I don't agree with that. You shot Pine!" Silver sprang up with a hysterical cry. He had judged like Agag that the bitterness of death was past, but found that he was not yet safe. "I did not shoot Pine," he declared, wringing his hands. "Oh, why can't you believe me." "Because Garvington gave you the second revolver and with that--on the evidence of the bullet--Pine was murdered." "That might be so, but--but--" Silver hesitated, and shivered and looked round with a hunted expression in his eyes. "But what? You may as well explain to me." "I shan't--I refuse to. I am innocent! You can't hurt me!" Lambert brushed aside this puny rage. "Inspector Darby can. I shall go to Wanbury this evening and tell him all." "No; don't do that!" cried Garvington, greatly agitated. "Think of me--think of the family!" "I think of Justice! You two beasts aren't fit to be at large. I'm off," and he made for the door. In a moment Silver was clutching his coat. "No, don't!" he screamed. "I am innocent! Lord Garvington, say that I am innocent!" "Oh, ---- you, get out of the hole as best you can! I'm in as big a mess as you are, unless Lambert acts decently." "Decently, you wicked little devil," said Lambert scornfully. "I only propose to do what any decent man would do. You trapped Pine by means of the letter, and Silver shot him." "I didn't! I didn't!" "You had the revolver!" "I hadn't. I gave it away! I lent it!" panted Silver, crying with terror. "You lent it--you gave it--you liar! Who to?" Silver looked round again for some way of escape, but could see none. "To Miss Greeby. She--she--she--she shot Pine. I swear she did." CHAPTER XIX. MOTHER COCKLESHELL. It was late in the afternoon when Lambert got back to the village inn, and he felt both tired and bewildered. The examination of Silver had been so long, and what he revealed so amazing, that the young man wished to be alone, both to rest and to think over the situation. It was a very perplexing one, as he plainly saw, since, in the light of the new revelations, it seemed almost impossible to preserve the name of the family from disgrace. Seated in his sitting room, with his legs stretched out and his hands in his pockets, Lambert moodily glared at the carpet, recalling all that had been confessed by the foxy secretary of Miss Greeby. That he should accuse her of committing the crime seemed unreasonable.