"I know that, and I love Prudence. All the same, a proposal doesn't invariably mean marriage." "Oh," said Clarice, in disgust. "Then you still hanker after Zara?" Ferdy lighted his cigarette calmly. "I don't know what you're talking about," he observed, obstinately. "Mrs. Rebson says that you are always at the Savoy Hotel." "She had better mind her own business, the interfering old cat," was Ferdy's retort; "besides, Zara doesn't always live there." "She lives in town, and so do you, I know, Ferdy; I dare say you see a lot of her there." "Oh! Has Jerce told you so?" "No. But I am certain that you are familiar with her." "Are you, indeed?" said Ferdy, in an aggravating tone, "and on what grounds, since you are so clever?" Clarice leaned forward. "I heard Zara say to you immediately after the inquest that, as Osip was accused, there could be no danger." This time Ferdy was startled. He dropped his cigarette and bent down to pick it up, and to hide the sudden rush of colour which came to his cheeks. "Did you hear anything else?" he asked, hesitating. "No. But I want to know the meaning of the sentence I did hear." Ferdy rose and paced the drawing-room, shrugging his shoulders. "What an inquisitive girl you are," he said, carelessly. "Zara only meant that as Osip was accused, there would be no danger of any other murder being committed." This sounded a plausible enough explanation, yet Clarice doubted its truth. "That is not the meaning," she said, impetuously. "What is the meaning, then?" asked Ferdy, sharply. "I don't know, unless she meant that you were free from danger." "What do you mean by that?" asked Ferdy, angrily, and dropped his cigarette again. "Do you think that I have anything to do with the death of Uncle Henry?" "Certainly not, seeing that I locked you up in your room on that night. All the same, I shouldn't be at all surprised if you knew this man Osip, and that he had influenced you in some way." "I don't know Osip from Moses," said Ferdy, doggedly. "All I saw of him was a glimpse on the night he searched Jerce, and then it was only a casual glance when passing him in the High Street. How could I possibly know such a blighter?" "Uncle Henry might have introduced you." Ferdy wheeled round in genuine amazement. "Uncle Henry! Are you out of your senses, Clarry? You know Uncle Henry never went out of his room for years and years, and certainly this man in grey never came to The Laurels until the time he searched Jerce." "Do you know the Shah's Rooms, Ferdy?" "Yes; I sometimes go there," snapped Ferdy, unhesitatingly. "You go there very often, I expect," said his sister, bitterly, "well then Anthony went there, and--" "What!" scoffed Ferdy, "the immaculate Anthony!" "He's no more immaculate than any other man. Besides, when he was there a couple or three months ago, he was not then engaged to me. But Anthony saw Uncle Henry with this man Osip." Ferdy went quite white. "You--Anthony must be mistaken."