"An' so was Miss Milly," cried Eliza; "they found 'er remains there." There was silence for a few moments, and the three people looked at one another. All the evidence seemed to prove the guilt of Dr. Lester. He had gone out mad with drink and angry with the dead girl; he had taken with him a pistol, and Milly had been murdered by such a weapon; finally, his clothes were covered with red mud, which was most plentiful in the neighbourhood where the corpse had been found. On this circumstantial evidence it would seem that Dr. Lester had killed his own daughter in a fit of drunken frenzy. This discovery added to the horror of the crime. "My girl," said the inspector after a pause, "have you spoken of this to any one else?" "No, sir; I swear as I 'asn't breathed a word." "Then don't breathe a word till I tell you," said Drek shortly. "You can go now--and hold your tongue. Wait!" he added, with an afterthought, "where are the clothes Dr. Lester wore last night?" "I can get them, sir; they are in 'is bedroom." "Bring them at once to the consulting-room." When Eliza departed on this errand, Paul looked at Drek in a questioning manner. "Why do you wish the clothes brought to the consulting-room?" he demanded. "I want to demand an explanation of Dr. Lester." "He is too drunk to understand you." "No, he isn't. I saw him a few minutes ago, and he was coming round. Besides, a knowledge of his position will sober him." "Do you really believe he killed his own daughter?" "It would seem so," said Drek in a perplexed tone; "but----" "But what?" "Well," explained the inspector sagely, "I have been mixed up in one or two cases of this sort before, and I always mistrust evidence that is too plain." "You speak in riddles." "H'm! Maybe; but I tell you I doubt this evidence. It is all dead against Lester; still----" Paul interrupted. "The best thing to do is to question Lester himself," he said, "force him either into confession or into defence." "It is the most straightforward way," assented Drek rising. "Let us go into the consulting-room at once and look at the clothes." "And look for the revolver," suggested Paul significantly. The inspector nodded, and they sought the presence of Dr. Lester. The wretched creature was recovering his senses, and as they entered he was drinking long draughts from the water-bottle to clear his head. At the sound of their footsteps he started nervously, and turned towards them a white and haggard face. Paul wondered whether his looks and manner were due to drink or to guilt; certainly to one, perhaps to both. "Do you want to see me, gentlemen?" said the doctor, rising, with shaking limbs. "Yes," said Drek, with a keen glance at the wreck before him. "I wish to ask you a few questions." "Relative to the murder of my poor girl?" "Relative to the red mud on your clothes."