"I did not," cried Kyles savagely, "the man was dead when I entered the room. His pocket-book lay on the table along with a razor, and a few papers. I could not find the money, else I should have gone away in silence. Then I heard a footstep, and concealed myself behind the curtains of the bed. The door opened gently, and this creature," he pointed to Pope, who shuddered, "crept in softly. He had a bloody towel in his hands with which he wiped them, and then began to examine the pocket-book. I crept out, and caught him by the throat. He nearly fainted." "You hurt me," moaned Pope at this moment, and his mother fondled him. "I would have choked you had I had the two thousand pounds safe at that time," said Kyles savagely, "to go and murder an old man in his sleep." "I did it--I did it," cried Mrs. Narby like a parrot, and trembling violently with mixed emotions of rage and terror. "That's rubbish, as I can prove. I made Pope confess. He said that he had been tempted by the gold and notes, which he had seen in the parlour. He crept up the stairs shortly before midnight and cut Sir Simon's throat, then he emptied the pocket-book, and took the money to his own room downstairs at the back of the house. He had come back, when I caught him, to see if he had taken everything. He also told me that you, Herries, the nephew of the old man, were in the next room asleep." "How did he know that I was Sir Simon's nephew?" "He heard your name, and your talk with Gowrie." "I didn't mention to Gowrie that I was Sir Simon's nephew." "Aye. I can stake my life on that, laddie." "I'll explain,--I'll explain," said Kyles impatiently, "however, to continue. I promised to say nothing, if Pope went down and brought up the money. On that condition I let him go. He went and never returned. I waited and waited in that dismal room with the one candle, and the corpse on the bed. Then I thought that the red light might attract the attention of any Indiana spy who was about, so I put out the light and sat in the dark. Pope never came." "Why not?" asked Herries surprised. Pope opened his mouth to speak, but his watchful mother put her hand over his mouth. "You never did it, lovey; you know nothink," she said, significantly. "But I can prove that he did," said Kyles. "Pope did not return," he went on quickly, "because he knew that I could not give the alarm without incriminating myself, and he intended, if I did, to accuse me of killing the old man. I guessed that, and afterwards I made him confess that he intended to act in that way. So there I sat in the darkness. Then I remembered the papers on the table, and examined them to see if Sir Simon had made any mention of the appointment. I found my own letter, and confiscated that----" "How did you see in the dark?" asked Ritson, suspiciously.