But though he did not finish the sentence I did, in my mind. She stood up for Maxwell because there was a tie between them; he had obtained a hold upon her through her affections--for even such women as she can love. Conjectures, of course, but I afterwards learned that they went straight to the bull's eye. I continued. "Maxwell was to be your companion?" "Yes." "He is coming for you? You expect him here tonight?" It needed but the slightest hesitation on her part to cause me to turn to Louis, and when he answered, "Yes, he is coming for us," I thought she would have struck him. "Quarrel away," thought I, "it all makes for us." It made for us also, that she was torn two ways at once--by her undoubted love for Louis, and by what had taken place between her and Maxwell. "At what time do you expect him?" "At ten." I looked at my watch; there was nearly an hour to spare. "When was it arranged that the three of you were to go together to the continent?" "Yesterday." "Last night, you mean." "Well, last night. That is yesterday." "It was Maxwell who suggested it?" "Yes." "After he had followed a certain person home from Madame Lourbet's shop?" "You are well informed," said Mrs. Fordham, bitterly. "There is very little in this rascally affair," I responded, "upon which I am not well informed, but it is always satisfactory to receive confirmation. I have no further questions to ask at present. What I require now is a plain statement of facts. Relate what occurred after Maxwell stabbed you." I do not propose to set it down in Louis' own words. Mrs. Fordham wished to give me the information, but I would not receive it from her, although it was to her eagerness to prove Louis' innocence that I was indebted for some part of the disclosure. For the filling in of the narrative I am also indebted to the natural intelligence of a man who knows his business, that man, without any affectation of false modesty, being myself. The importance of this disclosure cannot be exaggerated. It filled up the gaps of the mystery, and made the whole thing clear. I give the incidents in the consecutive order in which they occurred.