Maud gave a little scream, and flung herself back into an angle of the sofa to cover her eyes with the handkerchief. "Angus, oh, don't talk about that wretch," she said sobbing, "that he should have killed poor papa; it's too terrible." "He did not kill him," said Browne, rather disgusted by the speech. She seemed to judge him without evidence. "But he is," said Maud sitting up, and flushing a violent red, "I'm sure I wish he wasn't, as he really was a nice boy, and I liked him very much two years ago. Inspector Trent told me that the razor----" "I know all about that," interrupted the doctor quickly, "the evidence is against Herries. All the same he is innocent." "I'm sure I hope so. It would be so horrid to have a cousin hanged for murder. I don't know that Bruce would marry me if that took place." "Bruce! Who is Bruce?" "I thought you had met him," said Miss Tedder, opening her pale blue eyes to their widest extent. "Captain Bruce Kyles, who was such a great friend of papa's." "Oh yes," Browne suddenly remembered, "that was the fellow who commanded a war-ship belonging to one of those tin-pot South American Republics. "He is an officer in the Indiana Navy, replied Maud, much offended. "So I believe," rejoined Browne, not at all disturbed. "That shabby little Republic down Patagonia way. They've got about five second and third-rate ships, I believe, and the Germans propose to wipe them out, or annex them." "I don't know why you should talk of the Indiana Republic as 'them,' doctor. It's an 'it' and the Germans won't annex it. Bruce has come home to get more war-ships, and papa intended to do business with him." "Did papa intend you should marry him?" asked Browne shrewdly. Miss Tedder drew up her small person to its full height, which was not much. "I don't know why you should be so familiar, doctor. Of course I look on you as a friend, as papa did. All the same, we are not such friends as to warrant you----" "I see, I see," broke in the medical man impatiently. "I am less a friend than a doctor: yet I thought that your greeting was a warm one, and so perhaps have trespassed unduly. I beg your pardon. Sir Simon," he emphasised the title, "approved of your marrying this--this--Captain Kyles? "Oh yes. He saw that I loved him, and Bruce comes of a very old Scotch family,--quite as good as our own"--the doctor suppressed a smile. "Bruce has rank in Indiana, and some day he might become the President of the Republic. Papa intended to announce our engagement shortly, but now he is dead and----" she began to sob again. "Humph! You love this man?" "With all my heart, although I don't see why you should ask me." "I beg your pardon once more," said Browne dryly, "but I am the most intimate friend of Angus Herries, who is in dire peril, and I understood that you loved him." Miss Tedder let fall her handkerchief to accentuate her denial with hard, indignant eyes.