"Well, if you want so much to know--find out for yourself," he broke out in a sulky tone. "For I'm not going to tell you--that's flat! I've had nothing whatsoever to do with the beastly affair, and you know it. And if you don't know it, it won't take you long to find out. But what I was doing here last night is my private affair, and nothing to do with anybody." "Oho!" said Cleek in two different tones, arching an eyebrow in Mr. Narkom's direction. "Still more emphatic, I must say! And 'absolutely refuse,' too! The Law takes no refusals, Captain Macdonald, and if you don't know that fact, you'd better learn it now. And if you and Mr. Ross Duggan happen to be friends----" "We are friends--the best of 'em, eh, old chap?" from Ross himself. "Very well, then. All I can say is that you are harming Mr. Duggan's case with your ridiculous silence, and if you're not pretty careful, might end in driving him into the prisoner's dock." It was a "tall order"--and it almost carried, but not quite. For Macdonald gave out a smothered exclamation of amazement, swung around and looked at Ross, and then, meeting Maud Duggan's agonized eyes, tightened his mouth and faced Cleek again with the set expression upon his face. "Ross Duggan's no murderer--and you know it, dash you!" he gave out in a harsh, curt voice. "And it's no business of yours what I was doing here last night. I'm a friend of the family----" "But forbidden the house, I take it?" Macdonald flushed an ugly crimson. "You're exceedin'ly well informed upon family affairs, I must say!" he retorted tartly. "Yes--forbidden the house by the master of it (poor old chap!) and therefore--well, I'm not goin' to say any more. It may implicate someone else who's entirely innocent, and you won't get my mouth open with a sledge-hammer and a nail!" "And no necessity for it, either--you dunderheaded young donkey!" thought Cleek amusedly. "For if you haven't given the whole show away, and made it perfectly plain to everybody that you were meeting your sweetheart--or about to do so--then my name's not Cleek--which, of course, it isn't! And there's no telling but that you're a better actor than you make out! And this may be a 'blind'--but at present there's no 'cover' to draw, so we'll be off cantering in the other direction until the scent's a bit stronger in _yours_." Aloud, he turned to the irate young man with a slight bow, and spoke in his easy, calm manner.