"But why--why?" she stammered, making a vague gesture with her hand. "Ah! you ask me more than I can tell. I was not present during the conversation, you know. However, I can guess what took place. I refuse to tell all, but this much I dare speak. Julian cast certain reflections on the dead parents of Scott; he mentioned something which took place twenty and more years ago." "At Christchurch?" she murmured. He looked surprised. "I don't know who told you so much," he said brusquely, "but I admit that your information is correct. At Christchurch, Miss Carew, an episode took place which was not creditable to Dr. Scott's parents." "Had the episode to do with Mr. Edermont?" "I cannot tell you. I am speaking of my grounds for suspecting your lover. What passed before matters nothing. Suffice it for you to understand that Julian quarrelled with Scott, and he was afraid lest the young man should murder him. You heard his cry for help." "Well?" said Dora, seeing that he paused. "Well," replied Joad, with a suave smile, "he _did_ murder him." "No; I do not believe it. Where are your proofs?" Joad darted an imperious glance at her shrinking form. "I am about to produce my proofs," he declared calmly. "On the night of the second of August I left here at nine o'clock. You assisted Julian to lock the gates behind me, if I remember. I went to my cottage and had my supper. Afterwards I waited for Mr. Pride, who had promised to look in on his return from Canterbury. Ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock struck, and still Pride did not come. I thought that he had arranged to stay all night in Canterbury, but shortly after twelve I went out on to the road to see if he was coming. I did not see him; I did see Dr. Scott." "Allen?" cried Dora disbelievingly. "Himself. He was coming down the road on a bicycle." "How could you recognise him in the dark?" "The moon was up. I recognised him in the moonlight." "Did he see you?" "No; I was standing in the shadow. I was astonished to see him near the Red House at midnight, and I watched him. He passed the gates, and got off his bicycle at the end of the wall. Then he turned down the side path which leads to the postern gate. I waited to see if he would return, but as he did not I was about to follow him, when Pride arrived. Unwilling to say anything about what I had seen, lest it should compromise your lover, I took Pride into my house, and there I got talking to him till after two o'clock. In the interest of our conversation, I quite forgot Scott and his visit. But the next morning"--he looked at her in a crafty way--"I heard of the murder, and I found the postern gate open." "And--and what inference do you draw from all this?" murmured Dora, with white lips.