He knew the manner of the man he had to do with, and that it would not be an easy matter to extract information from such a sulky brute. Threats also would avail little, as Brent was one of these pig-headed men, who begin by denying, and go on doing so in the face of the clearest evidence with incredible obstinacy. The sole chance of getting at the truth was to assume that Lovel had confessed the bribery to him--that is, to Paul Mexton--and had sent him on an errand connected therewith to Brent. This attitude necessitated the telling of a few lies; but Mexton was quite prepared to tell them. He was cool-headed and pertinacious, and not the man to stick at a trifle for the gaining of his own ends. "I have come to you from Mr. Lovel," said Paul, slowly. Brent's jaw dropped. "What's the likes of him want with the likes of me?" he said. "A little decency, in the first place," replied Mexton. "You promised to hold your tongue about the meeting of Mr. Lovel and Miss Lester on the night of the murder." "How d'ye know they met?" asked Brent, with dogged suspicion. "Mr. Lovel told me. Do you think I would know if he had not?--or that I would be aware that he paid you five pounds to hold your tongue?" Brent, whose brain worked slowly, fell into the trap at once. Unless Lovel had spoken, as Mexton declared, he did not think Paul could have come by such exact information; the more particularly as the precise amount of the bribe was mentioned. It never occurred to Brent at the moment that Jane had innocently betrayed him. "Well, I've earned the money all right, ain't I?" he growled. "Indeed you have done no such thing!" replied Mexton. "You have been talking about the meeting." "I swear I ain't!" cried Brent, bringing down his huge fist on the table. "I cud 'ave talked about it when they sat on the corpse; but I didn't. I stayed here and shut up. I never told a single soul as I seed Mr. Lovel and Miss Milly walking in the Winding Lane on that night." This was quite enough. Herne had been right and Lovel had met Milly by appointment on the fatal night. Therefore the alibi proved by Mother Jimboy was a deception to defeat the ends of justice; and Lovel was in league with the gipsy. Paul began to believe that he might have killed Milly after all; but he resolved to question Brent further before coming to so important a conclusion. "Well, I daresay Mr. Lovel was mistaken," said Paul, genially; "it would be dangerous for him were it known that he met Miss Lester on that night." "I don't see it!" growled Brent. "I do; and so does Mr. Lovel; that is why he asked me to see if you had kept silence. If it was known that Mr. Lovel was in the Winding Lane on that night, he might be accused of the murder." "Let 'em accuse!" said Brent, grimly, "they can't prove he killed the gal. And I knows he didn't, else I'd not held my tongue. If he was a murderer, I'd get him hanged for all his five pounds!" "Then you are certain Mr. Lovel is innocent?"