"Hyde!" he said. "Then--that's what I remembered! Of course I know you! But good heavens, man, what does all this mean? What's brought you to this--to be here, in this place?" The prisoner looked round at his captors, and back at Viner, and smiled as a man smiles who is beginning to realize hopelessness to the full. "I don't know if I'm allowed to speak," he said. Drillford, who had been watching this episode with keen attention, motioned to the two policemen. "Wait outside," he said abruptly. "Now, then," he continued when he, Viner and Hyde were alone, "this man can say anything he likes to you, Mr. Viner, so long as you've asked to see him. This is all irregular, but I've no wish to stop him from telling you whatever he pleases. But remember," he went on, glancing at the prisoner, "you're saying it before me--and in my opinion, you'd a deal better have said something when you were in court just now." "I didn't know what to say," replied Hyde doubtfully. "I'm pretty much on the rocks, as you can guess; but--I have relatives! And if it's possible, I don't want them to know about this." Drillford looked at Viner and shook his head, as if to signify his contempt of Hyde's attitude. "Considering the position you're in," he said, turning again to Hyde, "you must see that it's impossible that your relations should be kept from knowing. You'll have to give particulars about yourself, sooner or later. And charges of murder, like this, can't be kept out of the newspapers." "Tell me, Hyde!" exclaimed Viner. "Look here, now, to begin with--you didn't kill this man?" Hyde shook his head in a puzzled fashion--something was evidently causing him surprise. "I didn't know the man was killed, or dead, until they brought me here, from that pawnbroker's this morning!" he said. Then he laughed almost contemptuously, and with some slight show of spirit. "Do you think I'd have been such a fool as to try to pawn or sell a ring that belonged to a man who'd just been murdered?" he demanded. "I'm not quite such an ass as that!" Viner looked round at Drillford. "There!" he said quietly. "What did I tell you? Isn't that what I said? You're on the wrong track, Inspector!" But Drillford, sternly official in manner, shook his head. "How did he come by the ring, then?" he asked, pointing at his prisoner. "Let him say!" "Hyde!" said Viner. "Tell! I've been certain for an hour that you didn't kill this man, and I want to help you. But--tell us the truth! What do you know about it? How did you get that ring?" "I shall make use of anything he tells," remarked Drillford warningly. "He's going to tell--everything," said Viner. "Come now, Hyde, the truth!" Hyde suddenly dropped into a chair by which he was standing, and pressed his hand over his face with a gesture which seemed to indicate a certain amount of bewilderment.