"Yes, I did, and it is lucky for you that I took such care of your reputation, you hussy! I can silence the man, but if anyone else came to know of your presence here, think what the world would say." "I don't care what the world says," said Audrey, contemptuously. "I care. It is my good name you are dragging through the mud." "What of your own good name which your own wicked actions are dragging in the mud?" cried Ralph, suddenly, and faced the millionaire defiantly. "What the deuce do you mean?" "I shall tell you what I mean. I would not do so but that you are treating Audrey so vilely. You were in the Pink Shop on the night your wife was murdered. Deny it if you can." Branwin staggered against the wall, and glared at the speaker. "Deny it if I can!" he echoed wrathfully. "Of course I can deny it. You fool, what do you mean by saying such a thing?" "You were in the Pink Shop on that night," said Ralph, doggedly. "I was not." "At all events, you were in the lane," said Audrey, suddenly. "You also! You also!" Sir Joseph raised his big arm, and would have struck his daughter, but that Audrey swerved and Ralph caught him by the wrist. "Let me go! Let me go, hang, you!" cried Sir Joseph, only he used a much worse oath. Ralph was the slighter man, but by a clever trick he succeeded in taking the millionaire off his guard and sent him spinning across the room. "If you dare to lay a finger on Audrey I'll throw you out of the window!" said the barrister, and flung his arm round the weeping girl. Branwin glared, and wiped his heated forehead. "She and you accuse me of--of murder?" he gasped, trembling with rage. "No. We simply say that you were in Walpole Lane and in the Pink Shop on the night of the murder. Perhaps you can explain?" "I was not there, confound you! In the lane--yes, I was in the lane, but I did not enter the shop. By what right do you accuse me of the crime?" "I say again, as I said before, that I do not accuse you of the crime," replied Ralph, firmly. "But you wore a suit of Harris tweed on that night?" "I did. I always wear Harris tweed. It is my favourite cloth. Well?" "One of the girls in the Pink Shop--a blind girl who has a very keen sense of smell--told the detective that I am employing to learn the truth how on the night of the murder she smelt the peaty scent of Harris tweed." "What has that got to do with me? Plenty of people wear Harris tweed suits." "Plenty of people don't wish to get rid of their wives," snapped Shawe. "Ah! so you do accuse me?" said Sir Joseph, who was now calming down. "And my motive for wishing to get rid of my wife?" "Miss Rosy Pearl can best answer that question." "What do you know of Miss Pearl? Speak of her with respect, as she is to be my wife." "So I said," answered Ralph, calmly; "and she was stopping in the Pink Shop also on that night."