The superintendent's face clouded and he shook his head. "Well, you know what folks will be, Mr. Cotherstone!" he answered. "And you know how very ready to say nasty things these Highmarket people are. I'm not a Highmarket man myself, any more than you are, and I've always regarded 'em as very bitter-tongued folk, and so----" "Out with it!" said Cotherstone. "Let's know the truth--never mind what tongues it comes from. What are they saying?" "Well," replied the superintendent, reluctantly, "of course I get to hear everything. If you must have it, the prevailing notion is that both you and Mr. Mallalieu had a hand in Kitely's death. They think his murder's at your doors, and that what happened to Stoner was a by-chance. And if you want the whole truth, they think you're a deal cleverer than Mallalieu, and that Kitely probably met his end at your hands, with your partner's connivance. And there are those who say that if Mallalieu's caught--as he will be--he'll split on you. That's all, sir." "And what do you think?" demanded Cotherstone. The superintendent shifted uneasily in his chair. "I've never been able to bring myself to think that either you or Mallalieu 'ud murder a man in cold blood, as Kitely was murdered," he said. "As regards Stoner, I've firmly held to it that Mallalieu struck him in a passion. But--I've always felt this--you, or Mallalieu, or both of you, know more about the Kitely affair than you've ever told!" Cotherstone leaned forward and tapped his host on the arm. "I do!" he said significantly. "You're right in that. I--do!" The superintendent laid down his pipe and looked at his visitor gravely. "Then for goodness sake, Mr. Cotherstone," he exclaimed, "for goodness sake, tell! For as sure as we're sitting here, as things are at present, Mallalieu 'll hang if you don't! If he doesn't hang for Stoner, he will for Kitely, for if he gets off over Stoner he'll be re-arrested on the other charge." "Half an hour ago," remarked Cotherstone, "I shouldn't have minded if Mallalieu had been hanged half a dozen times. Revenge is sweet--and I've good reason for being revenged on Mallalieu. But now--I'm inclined to tell the truth. Do you know why? Why--to show these Highmarket folks that they're wrong!" The superintendent sighed. He was a plain, honest, simple man, and Cotherstone's reason seemed a strange--even a wicked one--to him. To tell the truth merely to spite one's neighbour--a poor, poor reason, when there was life at stake. "Aye, Mr. Cotherstone, but you ought to tell the truth in any case!" he said. "If you know it, get it out and be done with it. We've had enough trouble already. If you can clear things up----" "Listen!" interrupted Cotherstone. "I'll tell you all I know--privately. If you think good, it can be put into proper form. Very well, then! You remember the night of Kitely's murder?" "Aye, I should think so!" said the superintendent. "Good reason to!"