Osip raised himself angrily on his elbow. "You _will_ pretend ignorance," he said, sharply, "when you know quite well that Frank Clarke gave Jerce the gold box containing the stamp. I searched Jerce to find it, and he had not got it on him. I did not know what had become of it, but now I am certain that he gave the stamp to you, so that you might impress the Purple Fern on Horran's forehead, and so make the police believe your murder was of a piece with the other crimes." "You are quite wrong," said Clarice, keeping her nerves in a wonderful manner, considering the terrible communication. "The gold box was found on the terrace, where you had dropped it." "I did not drop it. Jerce must have guessed why I was searching him, and have flung it aside. Where is the gold box now?" "Jerce took it to Scotland Yard." "A clever and daring villain," said Osip, bitterly, "and the stamp?" "I--I don't know where it is. It was not in the box?" "No. Jerce had removed it previously, and had given it to you. What a fool he was to carry the box about with him. When did he give the stamp to you?" "He never did." "What's the use of denying things?" cried Osip, angrily, and striking with his clenched fist on the table. "You were seen in Horran's bedroom, after two o'clock in the morning, impressing the Purple Fern on the body of your victim; and that was after Clarke had fled, Mr. Baird. I expect just as you killed Horran you heard Clarke coming, and so concealed yourself. When the parson went away, afraid lest he should be accused, you, no doubt, came out from your hiding-place and stamped the forehead. Then you returned to your own room, and pretended innocence." "Who told you this?" "Zara Dumps told me. After last night, she knew who I was, as her mother told her. I went to her rooms to-day, and she wanted to have me arrested. But I told her that I would accuse her of killing Horran, for I knew that she accused Clarke, and had been near The Laurels about the time of the murder." "How did you know that?" "I learned it from Clarke himself. Yes! I went down secretly and in disguise to Crumel after the murder, to learn what had become of the stamp, and saw Clarke. He could not denounce me, as I told him that his son Frank was concerned in the murders with me. Zara not only told Prudence, so as to break off the marriage with you, but she also told Clarke himself. When I learned that Zara had been near the house at the time of the crime, I saw her to-day, and made her confess." "She only saw Clarke," said Clarice, bravely. "She never told me that she had seen me. I saw her last night." "Zara told you as much as she thought proper," said Osip, in sharp tones, "but I made her confess the rest. After Clarke had gone away she stole up to the window and saw you, and what you were doing. I think also," added Osip, scathingly, "that she mentioned how you had concealed the stamp."