“Good heavens, man,” he cried, “if you had nothing to do with it, why not say so, and if you can prove it, so much the better. I’ve only one motive in all this, to clear Leslie. Why work against instead of with me?” “Because I resent your insinuations. If you think you’ve got anything against me, prove it. You’ve apparently had the damned impertinence to rake up my past and pry into my private affairs and you’ve all but told me to my face that I killed Mrs. Draycott. Well, take your story to the police and see what ice it cuts with them! If they’ve any questions to ask me I’m ready to answer them. Meanwhile, I advise you to take your amateur detective work elsewhere.” Fayre hesitated for a moment; then he decided to make one more effort towards conciliation. “I’m very sorry you’ve taken this line,” he said. “Frankly, I have hoped all along that you would be able to give some satisfactory explanation of your attitude towards the whole affair. I can very well believe that the subject is a painful one to you and I can sympathize with your reluctance to drag it up again after all these years, but you must admit that your behaviour has been open to suspicion. Once more I appeal to you to act reasonably, if only for Leslie’s sake.” Gregg’s only answer was to stride heavily to the door and fling it open. “I have already told you that I resent your interference,” he said shortly. “If I make any statement, it will be to those who have a right to demand it. You can hardly be surprised if I don’t consider you one of them. Take what steps you please, but I warn you that I am quite prepared to meet them.” Without a word Fayre took out his note-case once more. He walked over to the writing-table and picked up the prescription Gregg had written, leaving two guineas in its place. Then he took his hat and coat and left the room with such dignity as he could muster. As he passed through the hall he heard the crash of the study door as Gregg slammed it, and realized that in the first encounter, at any rate, the honours of war were to the doctor. Either the man was innocent or he had put up the most amazing bluff Fayre had ever encountered.