"I can explain that," observed Prain, quickly. "I said I would not do so without the young lady's permission, but as I have been forced to tell you about Dean's relationship to Ferris, I may as well reveal the rest. Miss Wedderburn knows that Arthur is the son of Dean, so when you asked her about him, I dare say the thought struck her that you knew of it through me, and intended to accuse him of killing Miss Gilmar to avenge his father. With a revulsion of feeling she fainted. There--you have the explanation from my point of view." "That's all very well, Mr. Prain; but I wish to have the explanation from Miss Wedderburn's point of view. Where is she now?" "Still at the Hall," said Alder, gloomily; "but she intends to leave it, now that I am master there." "Oh!" said Prain, with a smile. "She refuses to be its mistress?" "Yes! I don't mind confessing it. She is infatuated with Ferris, and when I went down the other day to ask her for the last time to be my wife, she refused me, and declared that she intended to marry Ferris. But I don't bear him any ill-will," said Alder, generously. "We both love Miss Wedderburn, and she prefers him in his poverty to me with my money. Still, I don't know how she can bear the idea of marrying the son of a murderer." "Perhaps, like myself, she believes in Dean's innocence," said Prain, dryly. "If he is guilty of the first crime, he is guilty of the second." "Well," said Gebb, thoughtfully, "there is something in that. Unless Dean had been guilty of Kirkstone's murder, he would not have been so bent upon punishing the woman who accused him of it, and it is just possible he murdered her out of revenge. However, I believe myself that Dean is innocent of both crimes. As to the second, I shall see Ferris again, and try to learn if he got the necklace from his father; as to the first," added Gebb, emphatically, "I shall search Kirkstone Hall for Miss Gilmar's confession." "Her confession!" repeated Alder, surprised. "What confession?" "Ah!" said Prain, taking no notice of the barrister's question, and addressing Gebb, "so you are coming round to my opinion--that Miss Gilmar killed Kirkstone." "It has been my opinion for some time," rejoined Gebb, coolly, "and I believe that Miss Gilmar left a confession behind her telling the truth. I don't think she would risk its discovery by carrying it about with her, so it is probable she wrote it out and concealed it in some hiding-place at Kirkstone Hall." "In that case search the Hall," said Alder, disbelievingly. "You have my full permission to do so." "I shall certainly avail myself of it, Mr. Alder. So Miss Wedderburn leaves the Hall. What about her _protégé_, Martin?" "That lunatic! I don't know. He had better stay where he is for the present, although I think myself he should be locked up." "What does Miss Wedderburn think?"