"Fanks," he said at last, with great solemnity, "you have your suspicions of me now, and perhaps when I tell you all, you may consider them to be confirmed. What then?" "What then?" echoed Fanks, cheerfully. "Simply this. Knowing your character as I do, I don't believe you would be guilty of a cold-blooded murder, so when you tell me your story we will put our heads together and try to find out the true criminal." "I'll be only too glad to do that," said Roger, gratefully, "if only to regain your confidence which I have lost." "Well, go on with your story." "I told you a good deal of it at Jarlchester," replied Axton, looking at the fire thoughtfully; "but I will reveal now what I concealed then. The first time I met Judith Varlins was in this town. I came down with letters of introduction from a London friend to Mr. Marson, and he made me free of his house--in fact, he wanted me to stay there; but though I am poor I am proud, so preferred to put up at Binter's Boarding-house." "Yes, I know that place." "How so?" "I went there to see a Monsieur Guinaud." "Then you saw an uncommonly good specimen of a scoundrel. He was a great friend of Melstane's, and they both hated me like poison. I don't know why Judas--that's his nickname here--did, but Melstane had a grudge against me because I put a stop to his secret meetings with Florry Marson by telling Judith." "Why did you do that?" "Because Melstane was such an out-and-out scoundrel that I did not want him to marry that silly little thing. If he had done so, he would have broken her heart. Well, when Judith became aware of these meetings, she took Florry off to Ventnor. I escorted them to London, where they stayed for a time, and then went on to the Isle of Wight. Shortly afterwards I followed them. I told you all that took place there. On our return to Ironfields about the middle of October, I believed Melstane met Florry by stealth, and I taxed him with it. We had a furious row, and I went off to London. While there I received a letter from Miss Varlins, telling me that Florry was engaged to Mr. Spolger, and that Melstane was leaving Ironfields for Jarlchester." "How did she know that?" asked Fanks, sharply. "I don't know; perhaps Florry told her. She, of course, could easily learn it from her lover; but what puzzles me is why Melstane went to Jarlchester at all." "You have no idea?" said Octavius, looking at him keenly. "Not the least in the world. I'm quite at sea as to his reasons." "Humph! Go on!" "Judith asked me to go to Jarlchester and await the arrival of Melstane, in order to obtain from him a packet of letters written by Florry, which he had in his possession." "Yes," said Fanks, eagerly; "go on!"