"Oh," she exclaimed. "You know of course!" He stared at her blankly. "I pass; I can't play to that!" he replied. "I honestly do not know, Miss Farmond." Her eyes opened very wide. "That's what I meant when I said I was puzzled. You _must_ know--and yet----!" She broke off and looked at him doubtfully. "Look here," said he, "some one's got to solve this mystery, and I'll risk a leading question. Why did you run away?" "Because of what you have been doing!" "_Me_ been doing! And what have I been doing?" "Suspecting me and setting a detective to watch me!" Ned's one eye opened wide, but for a moment he said not a word. Then he remarked quietly: "This is going to be a derned complicated business. Just you begin at the beginning, please, and let's see how things stand. Who told you I was setting a detective on to you?" "I found out myself I was being watched." "How and when?" She hesitated, and the doubtful look returned to her eyes. "Come, Louisa!" he said. "No nonsense this time! We've got to have this out--or my name's Dawkins!" For the first time she smiled spontaneously, and the doubtful look almost vanished. Just a trace was left, but her voice, though still very low, was firmer now. "I only discovered for the first time the wicked suspicion about poor Malcolm," she said, "when I met a gentleman a few days ago who told me he had heard Malcolm was arrested for the murder of Sir Reginald." "But that's not true!" cried Ned. "No, and he admitted it was only a story he had heard at the hotel, but it suddenly seemed to throw light on several things I hadn't been able to understand. I spoke to Lady Cromarty about it, and then I actually found that I was suspected too!" "Did she tell you so?" "Not in so many words, but I knew what was in her mind. And then the very next day I caught the same man examining the library with Bisset and I saw him out of the window follow Lady Cromarty and speak to her, and then I knew he was a detective!" "How did you know?" "Oh, by instinct, and I was right! The position was so horrible--so unbearable, that I went in to see Mr. Rattar about it." "Why Rattar?" "Because he is the family lawyer and he's also investigating the case, and I thought of course he was employing the detective. And Mr. Rattar told me you were really employing him. Are you?" There was a pleading note in this question--a longing to hear the answer "No" that seemed to affect Ned strangely. "It's all right, Miss Farmond!" he said. "Don't you worry! I got that man down here to clear you--just for that purpose and no other!" "But----" she exclaimed, "Mr. Rattar said you suspected Malcolm and me and were determined to prove our guilt!" "Simon Rattar said that!" There was something so menacing in his voice that Cicely involuntarily shrank back. "Do you mean to tell me, honour bright, that Simon Rattar told you that lie in so many words?"