He went on, still in a fury of indignation, but with the knowledge of Mr. Headland's true name still locked in his breast. "Did I bring you here as a friend and give you every opportunity to work on this strange business, to have you arraign me as a murderer? Do not treat me as a suspect, Mr. Detective. I am not on trial. I want this thing cleared up, yes; but I am not here to be accused of the murder of a man who was a guest in my own house, by the very man I brought in to find the true murderer." "You haven't given me time to say whether I accuse you or not, Sir Nigel," replied Cleek, patiently. "Now, if you'll permit me to speak, we'll take up this man's evidence. There are gaps in it that rather badly want filling up, and there are thin places which I hardly think would hold water before a judge and jury. But he swears himself a witness, and there you are. And as for believing his word before yours--who fired the shot, Sir Nigel? Did he, or did you? I am a representative of the Law and as such I entered your house." Merriton made no reply, simply held his head a little higher and clasped the edge of the table more firmly. "Now," said Cleek, turning to the butler and fixing him with his keen eyes. "You are ready to swear that this is true, upon your oath, and knowing that perjury is punishable by law?" "Yes, sir." Borkins's voice was very low and rather indistinct. "Very well. Then may I ask why you did not immediately report this matter to the rest of the party, or to the police?" Something flashed across Borkins's face, and was gone again. He cleared his throat nervously before replying: "I felt on me honour to--Sir Nigel, sir," he returned at length. "A man stands by his master, you know--if 'e's a good one; and though we'd 'ad words before, I didn't bear 'im no malice. And I didn't want the old 'ouse to come to disgrace." "So you waited until things looked a little blacker for him, and then decided to cast your creditable scruples to the wind?" said Cleek, the queer little one-sided smile travelling up his cheek. "I take it that you had had what you term 'words' since that fatal date?" Borkins nodded. He did not like this cross-examination, and his nervousness was apparent in voice and look and action. "Yes, sir." "H'm. And if we put that to one side altogether can you give me any reason why I should believe this unlikely story in place of the equally unlikely one that your master has told me--knowing what I do?" Borkins twitched up his head suddenly, his eyes fear-filled, his face turned suddenly gray. "I--I--What can you know about me, but that I 'ave been in the employment of this family nearly all my life?" he returned, taken off his guard by Cleek's remark. "I'm only a poor, honest workin' man, sir, been in the same place nigh on to twenty years and--"