Here was a discovery. The mythical lover of Mrs. Moxton, the murderer of her husband, if the blood signs could be believed, turned out to be her brother by marriage. A queer sort of relationship truly, which Ellis had not met with before, still, one sufficiently close to put any question of love out of the case. If so, what was Zirknitz's motive for committing the crime? Ellis felt that he was floundering in deep water. "Why do you tell me all this?" he asked suspiciously. "Because Laura says that you are her friend, and will help her through with this matter." "Of the murder." "Partly, and of the will. Busham is not an easy man to deal with, and he is annoyed that old Moxton's money should go to Laura." "How do you know it will go to her?" "Laura told me she thought there was a will leaving it to her." "M. Zirknitz," said Ellis, after a few moments of reflection, "will you answer a few questions?" "Oh, yes, most certainly. I have much confidence in you, Dr. Ellis." The other did not reciprocate this sentiment, but had sense enough to keep his doubts to himself. "You knew Moxton very well, I presume?" "_Oui da!_" Zirknitz shrugged his shoulders; "but we were not friends. He was always drinking and quarrelling. I do not like such men." "You disliked him?" "No. I dislike no person. It is troublesome to do that." "Did you visit him at Dukesfield?" "I did not. He hated me, you understand. Sometimes at night I went to see my sister when all was quiet." Ellis reflected that these visits must have been conducted with considerable secrecy, seeing that Mrs. Basket was ignorant of them; but, to be sure, they took place after dark. "Were you at Myrtle Villa on the night of the murder?" "No," answered Zirknitz, coolly and promptly. "I thought of going for my sister Janet, but I changed my mind. Moxton was drunk, so I fancied he might make trouble." "Then you saw Moxton on that night?" "Oh, most certainly! He was--he was--" Zirknitz hesitated. "He was in the secret gambling-room of Schwartz," finished Ellis, guessing his thoughts. The Austrian's face became as blank as a sheet of white paper. "But I do not understand," he said with a shrug. "Oh, well, as you please," returned the doctor, coolly. "I know nothing about the matter myself. To continue where we left off. Where did you see Moxton last on the night he was killed?" "Oh, at the bar in there," Zirknitz was clever enough to take his cue; "he was drunk--not very bad--but noisy and troublesome. He drove away in a cab." "Right down to Dukesfield?" "That I do not know. I went home to bed myself." This was a lie, as Ellis shrewdly guessed, but the Austrian carried it off with an air which showed that he was an adept at falsehood. "When did you hear of the murder?" "I saw it next day in the papers." "Then why did you not go to Dukesfield to help Mrs. Moxton?"