Inwardly rebelling, but urged on by the others, Jeff Allen went along, and as Burdon stopped Maida, on her quick walk across the lawn, Jeff put his arm through that of the girl, and said: “Do as they tell you, dear. It’s best to have this matter settled at once.” Again the party grouped themselves under the old sycamore, and this time Maida was the target for their queries. “Tell me all you know of the case,” she said, peremptorily; “then I’ll tell you what I know.” “We know that the murder was committed by one of you three Wheelers,” said Burdon, brutally. “Now, both your parents have confessed to being the criminal——” “What?” Maida cried, her face white and her eyes big and frightened. “Yes, ma’am, just that! Now, what have you to say? Are you going to confess also?” “Of course I am! For I am the real criminal! Can’t you see that my father and mother are both trying to shield me? I did it, because of that awful man’s hold on my father! Take my confession, and do with me what you will!” “Here’s a state of things!” cried Burdon, truly surprised at this new development. “The girl is telling the truth,” exclaimed Curtis Keefe, not because he really thought so but his quick mind told him that it would be easier to get a young girl acquitted than an older person, and he saw the plausibility of the detectives’ theory that it must have been one of the three Wheelers. “All right,” Burdon went on, “then, Miss Wheeler, enlighten us as to details. Where’s the weapon?” “I don’t have to tell you anything except that I did it. Do I, Jeffrey? Do I, Mr. Keefe?” She looked at these two for help. “No, Miss Wheeler,” Keefe assured her, “you needn’t say a word without legal advice.” “But, Maida,” Jeffrey groaned, “you didn’t do it—you know! You couldn’t have!” “Yes, I did, Jeff.” Maida’s eyes were glittering, and her voice was steady. “Of course I did. I’d do anything to save father from any more persecution by that man! And there was to be more! Oh, don’t let me talk! I mustn’t!” “No, you mustn’t,” agreed Keefe. “Now, Burdon, you’ve got three confessions! What are you going to do with them?” “Going to find out which is the true one,” answered Burdon, with a dogged expression. “I knew all the time it was one of the three, and I’m not surprised that the other two are willing to perjure themselves to save the criminal.” “Also, there may have been collusion,” suggested Hallen. “Of course,” the other agreed. “But we’ll find out. The whole thing rests among the three. They must not be allowed to escape——” “I’ve no intention of running away!” said Maida, proudly. “No one will run away,” opined Hallen, sagaciously. “The criminal will stand by the other two, and the other two will stand by him.” “Or her, as the case may be,” supplemented Burdon. “Her,” Maida assured him. “In the first place, my mother was upstairs in her own room, and my father was not in the den at the time. I was there alone.”