"What devilry is this?" he said, fiercely. "This is the locket I know--the locket that contains your hair and your picture, curse you! But the arrow-head--I know nothing of that." "Bah!--who would believe you?" replied the other, mockingly; "it is in your secret drawer!" "How did you know this hiding-place?" demanded Balscombe. "I never said I knew it." "No--but you said your evidence was in there, so you must have seen these things before. I believe you put the arrow-head there yourself." "Did I, indeed?" said Ellersby with a sneer. "Where would I get the arrow-head?--don't blame me for a crime you committed yourself." "I did not commit it!" shouted Balscombe in a frenzy. "I acknowledge I knew of my wife's intended elopement, and came up from Berkshire to prevent it. I was too late, and went to Calliston's rooms to see him. I missed the door in the fog, and when I found it, the first thing I saw was my guilty wife leaving the house. I followed her, and caught up to her--she shrieked, and I gave way to my just anger. I knew she had this locket, and thought it contained Calliston's portrait, not yours, so wrenched it off her neck to make sure. She ran away across the street and I lost her in the fog. I swear I saw no more of her on that night till I read of her death." "You knew it was your wife that was dead?" "I was not certain. I heard the _Seamew_ had sailed with Lady Balscombe on board, and thought that the dead woman was some wretched street-walker with whom my wife had changed clothes--but I was not certain she was dead till I saw Lena Sarschine on board the _Seamew_--then I knew my wife was the victim of the Jermyn Street tragedy, but I swear I did not kill her." Ellersby laughed scoffingly. "Of course it is to your interest to say that--but who will believe you with such strong evidence against you?" "Then I suppose you mean to denounce me?" said the baronet coldly. "Not if you agree to give me the hand of May Penfold." "I cannot force her inclinations." "No--but you are her guardian and can influence her." "If I refuse?" "You do so at your own risk." "And that risk?" "Means hanging to you!" said Ellersby, brutally. The two men stood looking fixedly at one another, and for a few moments there was a dead silence, while the three listeners waited with beating hearts for the end of the conversation which seemed to promise the solution of this extraordinary mystery. Balscombe remained for a time in deep thought, and then looked up with a look of determination in his eyes. "I decline to accede to your demand," he said, firmly. "Then you must take the consequence." "I am prepared to do so." Ellersby paused for a minute. "Will you tell me the reason for your decision?" "First, because I am innocent of the crime you accuse me of and second, I believe you placed this poisoned arrow-head here in order to implicate me in the murder."