"With Miss Wedderburn," said Alder, colouring. "True enough; but for all that I don't want him to be hanged when I know that he is innocent. If Miss Wedderburn marries Ferris I'll just have to put up with it, that's all." Gebb was about to express further admiration of Alder's conduct when the door opened unexpectedly, and Prain came hurriedly into the room. The little man looked worried, and with a nod to his brother lawyer, he threw himself into a chair near the detective's desk. "Well, Gebb," he said, in a vexed tone, "I have been to see that young ass, and I can't induce him to speak." "There will be no need for it," said Gebb, quietly; "I know now that he is innocent, Mr. Prain." "How is that?" asked the solicitor, in amazement. Whereat Gebb, with the assistance of Alder, told him of the presence of Ferris in the Town Hall at the hour the murder was committed. Prain was more amazed than ever. "Great Heavens!" he said; "if the man is innocent, and can prove it, as you say, why doesn't he speak out?" "Because he is screening some one, I think," said Gebb. "I know he is," said Alder; "and I believe that the some one is Dean." "Why?" asked Prain, with a sharp look. "I believe that Dean committed the crime, Mr. Prain." "Yes, but you also believe that Ferris does not know Dean," cried Gebb, crossly; "so why should he shield him?" "That is a paradox," said Alder, smiling. Prain looked up with a grave expression on his face. "It is a paradox which I can explain," he said shortly. "Ferris does know Dean." "He does know Dean!" cried both his hearers in amazement. "Yes! I may as well tell you both, that Arthur Ferris is the son of Marmaduke Dean." CHAPTER XV THE REVELATION OF MR. PRAIN "Arthur Ferris the son of Dean!" repeated Gebb, looking alternately at solicitor and barrister. "Well, I never heard of such a thing. Did you know of it, Mr. Alder?" Alder shook his head with unqualified amazement. "Not I!" he said. "I suggested that Ferris was shielding Dean, only because I am certain Dean is the assassin; and only the assassin could have given that necklace taken from the dead woman to Ferris, but I had no idea that there was any relationship or even acquaintance between them." "Nevertheless it is true," replied Prain, with a nod. "I was Dean's lawyer, as you know, and he told me much of his family history. When his wife died, he placed his son Arthur with some of her relatives, and went himself as a bachelor down to the Hall, to court Laura Kirkstone for his second wife and meet with his fate. When he was imprisoned for the murder of Kirkstone, the relatives of Arthur gave him his mother's name of Ferris. I have kept my eye on that young man all my life--or, rather, all his life of twenty-five years, and have even assisted him on occasions with money. He is the son of Dean right enough, although he still keeps to the name of Ferris." "Oh! he knows who he is, then?" said Gebb, sharply.