"Yes! And you have no right to accuse my cousin. She came, as her companion, Mrs. Mountford, knew," this was a lie, but Herries wanted to save the miserable girl, "to see her old nurse." "And went out late at night. My wife confessed it." It was at this moment that Alice returned, followed by Mrs. Armour. After her first cry for help the servant had thought it best to go for the wife. Fortunately there were few people about, and her feeble cry had gone unheeded. Also the tap-room was empty, a rare occurrence for the time being, so when Alice brought back Mrs. Armour, that woman ran into the room, with a white face, dreading lest her husband's tongue, loosened by liquor, should have wagged too freely. "You drunken beast," she said, advancing with brandished arms, "how dare you insult my young lady?" "She killed her father," grumbled Armour, but under his breath, as the stern looks of Herries and the presence of his wife cowed him not a little. Mrs. Armour uttered an indignant exclamation and placing her hand on his coat-collar dragged him to the door. "It is quite false, you fool." "He says that you told him," said Herries to the wife. Mrs. Armour pushed her husband outside and faced round. "I told him nothing of the sort. He found out, I don't know how, that my young lady was at my house on the night of the murder, and taxed me with it. I confessed--like a fool,--that she had been there, and then he got it into his head that she set those sailors after him, to get him kidnapped. He thinks that he lost his position in the Force through her, which is quite wrong." "Why didn't you come to the inquest and say that Miss Tedder was with you on the night?" asked Herries sternly. "Because she asked me not to. I wouldn't have said a word even to Armour, but that he found out. Who are you, sir?" "I am Miss Tedder's cousin----" "Who was accused of the murder?" screeched Mrs. Armour in surprise. "Yes, and if my cousin was here on that night,----" "She is innocent,--innocent I swear," interrupted the woman, in great agitation, "she only came to the inn----" "Oh. She _was_ here, was she? In the house?" "No! Yes,--that is. I tell you, sir, she is innocent," cried Mrs. Armour at her wits' end. "She only came to see me. I'm her old nurse, sir. Don't you believe what Armour says. He's drunk; he doesn't know what mischief he is making." "Miss Tedder was in this house on the night of the murder, about midnight." "She wanted to see her father, and ask him not to take her lover from her," sobbed Mrs. Armour putting her apron to her eyes. "Indeed she's as innocent as the sun, sir. But I'm ready to confess----" "Confess nothing," interrupted the young man, "if my cousin has been indiscreet--we'll put it that way,--I'll see that nothing comes of the matter. But I'll come round and see you later, to hear what you have to say. Meanwhile I'll question Miss Tedder." "Where is she; my lamb?" "In the parlour with a lady. She has fainted."