"Hum! Hum! Hum!" Ritson cleared his throat, and settled his old-fashioned black satin scarf, "quite so,--quite so. Then you think, doctor," he leaned forward, confidentially, "that this very clear evidence was got together to implicate Mr. Herries in a crime of which he has no knowledge?" "I am sure of it. Inspector Trent has given his version, which is coloured by the belief that Herries is guilty. Let me tell you the other side, Mr. Ritson." "I am all attention," said the lawyer, placing the tips of his fingers together, and looking up at the ceiling. Browne thereupon detailed all that he had heard, and seen at the inn. But he did not yet trust Ritson so far as to relate how Herries had found a refuge in Kind's caravan, nor did he state that Kind himself was an ex-detective, sworn to assist the accused man, out of gratitude. Ritson listened in profound silence, and when the recital was finished he did not commit himself to a statement. On the contrary, he again began his game of chess with the sealing-wax, pens and paperweights, and asked an irrelevant question. "And you saw Miss Tedder?" "Yes. She believes, on Trent's authority, that her cousin is guilty." "Consequently, she is much disturbed," suggested the lawyer. Browne smiled cynically. "You place too much faith in human nature, Mr. Ritson. Miss Tedder seems most anxious to get her cousin hanged." "Hey, hey," Ritson sat bolt-upright with his hands on the arms of his chair, "say that again, my good sir." Browne did say it again, and said more. He gave a detailed version of the interview, of the coming of the telegram announcing the finding of Armour in the ditch, and of the opinion of Captain Bruce Kyles, which was so much at variance with Miss Tedder's. Ritson stared hard at the little doctor, as he told his tale dramatically, and when it was ended he rose and went to look out of the window. "This is very remarkable," said Ritson, turning from looking at the busy High Street to look at Dr. Browne. "Very!" assented the medical man, saying as little as he could. "And what is your opinion?" asked Ritson, returning to his seat. "I have none, save that Herries is innocent." "Then you don't think," said the lawyer, again playing chess, "that Miss Tedder in some way has heard of the will which disinherits her, and is anxious to have her cousin hanged so that she may get back the money." "Will she get back the money if he is hanged?" asked Browne artfully. "Why, yes. I pleaded for the girl. It seems that Maud--I have known her from a baby, so I can call her by her Christian name--well then, it seems that Maud insisted on marrying Captain Kyles, a man of whom Sir Simon did not approve." "I don't wonder at that; the man is an adventurer."