"Your motive for denying your presence here, Miss Carter?" he asked, and she winced at his tone and the formality of his address. Her woman's intuition told her that she could not sway him by feminine wiles as in the old days in Paris. He had developed from a shy country boy into a man, stern perhaps, but just, resourceful and strong. "What was your motive?" he asked again, with more emphasis, as she kept silent. "The danger of being arrested for Paul's murder," she said, and this time it was Trenholm's turn to feel astonishment, mingled with a reluctant admiration. Betty, with characteristic courage, was taking the ground from under his feet. "And your reason for such a fear?" he questioned swiftly. "My marriage to Paul under such peculiar circumstances and my immediate departure, which occurred," she added, addressing Miriam, whom surprise had kept silent, "judging from your testimony, just before Paul was killed." "Your departure just _before_ he was killed is the very point which clears you of all suspicion," declared Trenholm dryly, and Betty changed color. "Come, Miss Carter, what has Paul's will to do with your sudden admission of your marriage to him?" "Mr. Trenholm!" "Please--no heroics!" holding up an authoritative hand. "Let us have the truth at last, Miss Carter." Betty's eyes blazed at him wrathfully. "It is your privilege to insult a woman, I presume--one of your prequisites as sheriff of the County." Trenholm smiled. "Put it that way, if you wish," he said, in entire good nature. "By the terms of Paul's will you inherit nothing if you marry after his death; but, as his widow, the law allows you one third of his estate, irrespective of any will," he paused--"or any marriage thereafter." Betty rose and dropped him a curtsy, and Miriam, watching her with a critic's eye, saw no tremor in hands or lips and no evasive glance. "You make me out a very clever woman," Betty said. "I thank you." Trenholm bowed. "There is only one flaw in your reasoning," he said. "You did not marry Paul Abbott." Betty stared at him, astounded. "Are you mad!" she gasped. "Why, Miss Ward witnessed the marriage!" "I beg pardon, but I was not in the room," interrupted Miriam. "Doctor Nash sent me to get a lamp and I returned just as he completed the marriage ceremony." Betty surveyed them both scornfully. "What is this--collusion?" she demanded. "No, just statements of facts," retorted Trenholm. "When Miss Ward returned to this room after seeing you depart, she went over to the bed and found, not Paul, but a stranger lying there." Betty sank back in her chair. Her face was ghastly. There was no make-believe in her emotion and her half-fainting condition was genuine. With a word of explanation, Miriam bolted out of the room, to return a second later with smelling salts. Betty accepted them with a broken word of thanks.