"Wait, Arnold. One thing at a time. There is something terrible and mysterious about this. I suspect pitfalls and snares likely to bring us into danger. I say, and I can prove it, that you made the appointment. I have your letter in my pocket asking me to meet you at half-past nine on that night. I would have destroyed it so as to put away all evidence of your having been at Ajax Villa on that night, but I kept it, as I wished to show it to you, and to ask how you came to gain possession of Walter's latch-key!" "You sent it to me!" he said, much astonished. "I have your letter also. The key was lost." "You dropped it in the road when you spoke to the policeman?" Arnold nodded. "But how did you guess that I was the man who left the house--the man for whom the police are searching?" "Mulligan described your dress and said you had a pointed beard. You have such a suit and such a beard in the last act of the play. I knew then that you came later than I expected to keep the appointment, and in your hurry you had left the theatre without waiting to change your clothes or take off the false beard." "In that case," said Arnold, very pale, "you must think me guilty of Flora's death, seeing that I left the house when----" "No," interrupted Laura quickly; "you did not come, at half-past nine, for I was at the gate waiting for you. I rang the bell, since you said you would admit me in your letter. As you came finally in your stage clothes, you must have been unable to get away earlier from the theatre. Therefore, as Flora was murdered before nine o'clock you must be innocent. But I never thought you guilty," she added tenderly, wreathing her arms round his neck, and whatever any one said I would never believe you killed the woman. You are not the man to commit a brutal murder. "Yet Arnold," her arms dropped and she looked anxious, "the evidence is strong. This dagger is yours, you left the house, the police are looking for you and----" "All that goes for nothing, seeing I was not at the house before nine o'clock." "You were not?" she exclaimed joyfully. "No! Listen, Laura, and I will tell you the whole truth and you will see why I kept silent. Like yourself--seeing that you deny writing the letter----" "Show it to me. We must have a clear ground before we can go further. Here is the letter I received. Look at it while I see if Mrs. Varney is lurking outside. I don't trust that woman, and now that I know my sister's maid, who loves Professor Bocaros, is here, I trust her less than ever. O Arnold, how I wish I had come to see you before!" "It would have been better. Why did you not?" "I was afraid. Arnold, how could I come to you and declare that the man I loved was guilty? I did not believe it--no--but I knew that you had the key--that you had been in the house on that night!" "I can explain that," said Calvert quickly; "see if all is safe and return to your seat."