"In the first place," said Gerald quietly, "allow me to present to you my wife," then when Morgan saluted in a puzzled way, he continued, "once known as Mavis Durham." "What!" Morgan grew red, and his eyes almost started out of his head. "Do you mean to say that this lady is Mavis Durham?" "Mavis Haskins now," said the girl, with a perfectly calm smile, "and I surrender myself to you willingly." "I arrest you in the King's name for murder," gabbled Morgan, trying to recover his official dignity. "Anything you say now will be used in evidence against you." And he signed to his subordinates, likewise startled out of their wits, to take charge of the girl. Arnold sprang forward as a young constable placed his hand on Mavis' arm. "Stop," he cried. "Mrs. Haskins is innocent. Here is the guilty woman." And he pointed to Mrs. Crosbie. "No, _no!_ You can't prove that--you dare not--you----" "I can prove it!" cried Arnold, bluffing. "Mrs. Crosbie was at the gate of the Pixy's House at the time Bellaria Dondi was murdered. A dozen witnesses can swear that she was in the neighborhood." "Is this true?" Morgan asked the little widow, whose gaiety was all gone, and who suddenly looked twice her age. "It is not true! It is not true!" she cried. "Mother and I were at Belldown. We went on to see Major Rebb at Denleigh." "Hush, you fool!" muttered Mrs. Berch, shaking her. "You never came near me there!" cried Rebb, and then became aware that, on the impulse of the moment, he had ruined the widow. In a paroxysm of shame and terror, for the man did love the miserable woman, he added: "Mrs. Crosbie is innocent. I swear she is. I know who is guilty." "You?" everyone cried out, Inspector Morgan loudest of all. The scene was beyond his comprehension, and he was on the verge of an apoplectic fit. The whole scene was melodramatic and unreal, and, on the stage, or when written in a book, would have been described so by critics. "Who is guilty?" demanded Morgan fiercely. "Geary--Adonis Geary," said Rebb. "The knife was his, and I found him in the grounds when I arrived." There was a savage shout before he could finish, and Geary sprang from behind the ruined river wall. He had been concealed there, and had heard everything: but he did not appear until his adored master accused him of the crime. Then terror and rage made him leap forward, half mad and half drunk. "You say one big lie, sah!" he shouted, with rolling eyes, and a thick voice. "I lubbed you once, but now you would kill me with a lie. I tell who did kill dat poor Bellaria." "Who killed her?" asked Gerald, for Morgan was too bewildered to ask. Geary looked slowly round, and pointed to Mrs. Berch. "Oh, mother, mother," cried Mrs. Crosbie, "I would have saved you if I could." CHAPTER XXVI. THE GODS ARE JUST.