‘Indeed!’ Raphael remarked, with the frostiest politeness. ‘So my daughter is fortunate enough to have won your regard?’ ‘If you care to put it so.’ ‘But,’ said Mr. Craig, ‘all this does not account for your presence here to-night, Mr. Inquiry Agent.’ ‘I am here now----’ Richard began, and then stopped. ‘Mr. Redgrave is here now,’ Teresa said, at the same time seating herself, ‘because I asked him to come.’ ‘When did you ask him, girl?’ ‘I went to London in the Décauville to Mr. Redgrave’s office, and----’ ‘You went to London alone?’ The old man sprang up thunderously, and the newspaper fell out of his pocket. Richard quietly picked it up from the floor. It was that day’s _Westminster Gazette_. ‘Bridget went with me,’ said Teresa, quailing before her father’s outburst. It was evident from both their respective demeanours that Mr. Craig’s temper was not one of absolute serenity. ‘Bridget!’ sneered Raphael. ‘You went down to London to ask Mr. Redgrave to come up to Hockliffe?’ ‘I went to ask him to abandon his inquiries.’ ‘But still, you brought him back with you?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘At one o’clock in the morning?’ ‘Yes. But, father----’ ‘Miss Craig was in a very awkward situation,’ said Richard. ‘I agree with you,’ the old man interposed. ‘And I was anxious to do anything in my power to help her.’ ‘And you helped her by visiting this house at one o’clock in the morning during my absence?’ ‘Father,’ said Teresa pleadingly, ‘can’t you and I discuss that aspect of the question afterwards? What is it that you want to ask Mr. Redgrave?’ ‘My girl,’ said Mr. Craig, ‘we will, if you please, discuss it now. Mr. Redgrave is equally involved with yourself. Remember that it was you that insisted on joining this little conference. You insisted on coming into the room.’ Then he turned to Redgrave. ‘What was the exact nature of the difficult situation in which you say my daughter was placed?’ ‘I will tell you, hither,’ said Teresa, standing up. ‘If you insist on Mr. Redgrave hearing it, he shall. I had reason to think that either you had killed Micky, or that Micky had killed you.’ ‘And which proposition did you favour?’ ‘I favoured,’ said Teresa, with a coldness equalling her father’s, ‘I favoured the proposition that you had killed Micky. Bridget heard a revolver-shot in the night. I knew that you kept a revolver. Bridget had previously heard you and Micky at high words. This morning you had disappeared without warning me. Micky had also disappeared. Father, you were not treating me fairly.’ ‘You consider that before I leave my house I must give you “warning” like a servant, eh, Teresa? I wonder what Mr. Redgrave thinks of all this.’ ‘I do not see that it matters what Mr. Redgrave thinks,’ said Teresa. ‘It matters greatly,’ the old man contradicted; ‘and I will give you the reason.’ He walked across the room very deliberately to the tall clock. ‘Mr. Redgrave will be your husband, Teresa.’ ‘Father!’