“Oh, Jeff, you are so quick to take prejudices against people. I don’t mean I’m specially fond of Genevieve, but she was kind to me, and now I do seem so alone.” “Alone, Maida? When you have your parents and me? What do you mean?” “I can’t tell you, exactly, but I seem to want someone—someone with wide experience and educated judgment—to whom I can go for advice.” “Won’t I do, dear?” “You’re kind enough and loving enough—but, Jeff, you don’t know things! I mean, you haven’t had experience in—in criminal cases——” “Come on, Maida, let’s have it out. What about this criminal case of ours? For it’s mine as much as it’s yours.” “Oh, no, it isn’t, Jeff. You’ve nothing to do with it. I must bear my burden alone—and—I must ask you to release me from our engagement——” “Which I will never do! How absurd! Now, Maida mine, if you won’t speak out, I must. I know perfectly well you never killed Mr. Appleby. I know, too, that you saw either your father or mother kill him and you’re trying to shield the criminal. Very right, too, except that you mustn’t keep the truth from me. How can I help you, dear, unless I know what you’re doing—or trying to do? So, tell me the truth—now.” “I can’t tell you more than I have, Jeff,” Maida spoke with a long-drawn sigh. “You must believe me. And as a—a murderer, I never, of course, shall marry.” “Maida, you’re a transparent little prevaricator! Don’t think I don’t realize the awful situation, for I do, but I can’t—I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for either of your parents. I don’t ask you which one it was—in fact, I’d rather you wouldn’t tell me—but I do ask you to believe that I know it wasn’t you. Now, drop that foolishness.” “Jeffrey,” and Maida spoke very solemnly, “don’t you believe that I could kill a man? If he was so cruel, so dangerous to my father—my dear father, that I couldn’t stand it another minute, don’t you believe I’d be capable of killing him?” “We’ve spoken of that before, Maida, and I think I said I believed you would be capable, in a moment of sudden, intense anger and excitement——” “Well, then, why do you doubt my word? I told the detectives—I tell you, that the moment came—I saw my father, under stress of terrible anger—in immediate, desperate danger from Samuel Appleby. I—I shot—to kill——” the girl broke down and Jeffrey took the slender, quivering form in his arms. “All right, sweetheart,” he whispered, “don’t say another word—I understand. I don’t blame you—how could you think I would! I just want to help you. How can I best do that?” But Maida could not tell him. Her tears, once started, came in torrents. Her whole frame shook with the intensity of her sobs, and, unable to control herself at all, she ran from him into the house and up to her own room. “What did you find out?” Burdon asked, coming out from behind a nearby clump of shrubbery. “You sneak, you cad!” Allen cried, but the detective stopped him.