Miss Branwin thereupon lowered her voice still more, so that no whisper could be overheard by other people, and detailed the words which had passed between Badoura and Madame Coralie's husband. "I saw him afterwards with Aunt Flora," finished Audrey, "as she sent him with the letter to my father. He is a nasty impertinent little man, and wished to converse with me. He even offered me his hand"--she shuddered--"as if I could touch it. Well, Ralph, and what do you think of the matter?" "Badoura's declaration certainly endorses what you said about the time Madame Coralie came down to see you at the door," remarked Shawe, thoughtfully. "If Eddy Vail came up at five minutes to eight and put the clock back to 7.30, that would account for the twenty-five minutes." "It was certainly nearly half-past eight before I saw Aunt Flora," said Audrey, quickly. "Then if she came down immediately after entering the still-room, as was stated at the inquest," said Shawe, "the clock must have been wrong. Eddy Vail himself, Madame Coralie, and Badoura all say that it was five minutes after eight when Madame came down to you. Of course, Eddy putting the clock wrong would account for the extra time." "But why did he put the clock wrong?" asked Audrey, bewildered. "Badoura supplies the answer to that question, my dear," said Ralph, grimly. "He wished to provide an alibi. Badoura and Madame Coralie could both swear that he was in the still-room at eight o'clock, when it was really five-and-twenty minutes past eight. He had all that time--seeing that, according to the medical evidence, your mother was murdered at or about eight--to commit the crime. Yes, Eddy Vail may be guilty." "Then my father is innocent, and was not in the Pink Shop." "Of course. And going by the evidence of the clock, when Mrs. Mellop saw your father in Walpole Lane your mother had already been dead for some twenty minutes, more or less. Of course"--Ralph looked thoughtful--"he may have killed her, and then have slipped round by the court--the key was in the outer door, remember--to Walpole Lane, guessing that you would call there, and thus he could provide himself with a very good alibi. Did he know that you were going to call for your mother?" "Yes. I told him when I got home. But I really can't think that he is guilty, Ralph, especially as Badoura accuses Eddy Vail." "But why should Eddy kill your mother?" "Because of the diamonds." "Madame Coralie said that her sister had given those to her. If that is a lie, it makes out Madame Coralie to be an accomplice after the fact. She must have known that her husband had murdered Lady Branwin." "Oh, dear, it is impossible Aunt Flora can be guilty. She is so good." Ralph had his own idea of Madame Coralie's goodness; but it was no use communicating the same to the girl, seeing how kind her aunt had been to her. He thought for a few moments, then raised his head.