"No; not exactly, though Mrs. Pell had promised him some small stones, and I'm not sure she gave them to him." "Go on, tell it all." "I'm willing to, for my game is up, and I want to get away from a murder charge! My heavens, I'd never think of _killing_ anybody!" "Wait a minute, you say you reached the house about eleven-thirty. How did you come?" "I was in my little car. I left that in the woodland road." "And that's when Sam saw you." "I suppose so. I didn't see him." "Did you see Bannard?" "I did. He was coming away from the house as I started toward it." "He didn't see you?" "No, I took good care of that." "Then he did go away at nearly noon, and he was on his way down to New York when he stopped at the Red Fox Inn." "Yes, his story is all true. I fixed up the Inn people to put it the other way, because I feared for my own skin." "You _are_ a fine specimen! Well, go on." "Well, I was bound to get that pin. I asked Mrs. Pell for it, and she laughed. She wasn't a bit afraid of me. Plucky old thing! I _had_ to tie her while I hunted around! She was ready to scratch my eyes out!" "And you beat her--bruised her!" "No more than I had to. She struggled like a wildcat." "And you upset the table in your scrap?" "We did not! Nor smash the lamp. Nor did I dash her to the floor. I'm telling you the exact truth, because there's so much seeming evidence against me that I'm playing safe. I searched all the room, and I found the paper, but I couldn't find the pin." "You cut out her pocket?" "I did, but I didn't tear open her gown at the throat, nor did I fling her to the floor to kill her on the fender. I finally untied her and went away, leaving her practically unharmed, save for a few bruises. Why, man, she was at dinner after that, with guests present." "And where were you?" "I went right over to my brother's--I suppose you won't believe this, you'll think he's standing by me to save my life--but it's true. I reached Joe's by half-past twelve, and I staid there till four or so. There was nobody more surprised than I to hear of Mrs. Pell's murder! I left that woman alive and well. The slight bruises were nothing, as is proved by her presence at the dinner table." "I can't see why she didn't tell of your visit." "She was a very peculiar woman. And she had it in for me! I think she felt that she could get me and punish me with more surety by biding her time till she could see her lawyer, or somebody like that. It seems to me in keeping with her peculiar disposition that she kept my attack on her a secret, until she chose to reveal it!"