As to Olivia, she was terribly dismayed when she heard Francis was going to Marshminster, and she dreaded lest he should be accused of his brother's murder. The actions of Francis had been so very peculiar that I was afraid to tell them to the inspector, lest he should think the young man guilty. At the same time it was impossible to keep them secret, as Francis had thrown the body of his brother into the pool, and would have to explain to the inspector how it got there. Our only chance of proving him to be innocent lay in finding Strent, and where he was to be discovered none of us knew. Merrick's clever brain discovered a clew to the destination of the fugitive. "Did you ride to the Fen Inn from Marshminster?" he asked Francis. "No. Had I come by train to Marshminster, I would have gone to Bellin Hall, where my brother was staying, and seen him before Olivia." "It's a pity you did not go there," said Merrick thoughtfully. "All this trouble might have then been avoided. Well, how did you get to the Fen Inn?" "I took the train from London to Starby, hired a horse there, and rode to the Fen Inn." "How far is it from Starby to the Fen Inn?" "About twelve miles." "And from the Fen Inn to Marshminster?" "Ten miles." "Much about a muchness," said Merrick. "Did you tell Strent you had ridden from Starby?" "Yes, I had no reason to conceal my movements." "Quite so. Well, according to Rose Gernon, it was your horse Strent took to escape." "It was. I wonder he did not take the horse of Felix." "For a very simple reason! He knew when the alarm was given that you and Denham would go to Marshminster; therefore to hide his trail the better he went back with your horse to Starby." "Do you think so?" "I am sure of it. Go to the livery stable at Starby where you hired your horse, and I am certain you'll find it there, restored by Strent." "Well," said I, in no wise satisfied, "suppose we trace him to Starby. That will be no use. No doubt he took the train there to London." "Very probably," said Merrick coolly, "and waited there for Rose Gernon." "But she has not seen him since he fled from the inn." "So she says, but it is not true, for all that. When he killed Felix,--and the evidence seems to point to him as the murderer,--he told Rose to take the gig and go to Marshminster. Then he rode off to Starby and rejoined her in London." "But why should she conceal his movements?" "Because he knows too much about the crime," said Merrick decisively. "Either she did it herself and is afraid of his speaking, or he did it and she wishes to screen him." "Why should she wish to screen a man who killed her lover?" "I can't answer all questions," said Merrick irritably, finding himself at a loss; "all this is pure theory, but I think it is so. I am certain there is an understanding between Rose and Strent. If that detective watching Rose only knew Strent, I am certain he would catch him paying her a visit."