"Still, someone else might have had a motive for all that. I am sure Mrs. Jenner is innocent; but her husband had lots of enemies, and many would gladly have done it, could they have escaped the consequences. The only thing that puzzles me is the disappearance of the red pocket-bock. I understand all about the bill now; it could not have been made use of. Well, the whole affair is a mystery, but all I can say is that I did not kill the man. I knew if it came to the pinch I could always prove that." "It has come to the pinch now," said Mr. Cass, sternly. "Prove your innocence, if you can for my part I believe you are guilty." "More fool you!" was the retort. "On that night, if you remember, we had dinner at six--a light dinner, dished up in a hurry--your wife had to go to London; you told her you would have some supper at nine, did you not?" "Yes, I remember something of that," said Mr. Cass, after a pause. "Was I not in to supper?" "Yes, you were; I remember that too." "And supper was at nine?" "Yes, it was ordered for nine, and I postponed it till half-past because I did not feel hungry." "I was here when you gave the order, because you asked me whether I would prefer supper at once, or wait." "That is true enough. Well?" "Well, if you will look again into the evidence given at the trial of that unfortunate woman, you will find that the doctor said that Jenner had been killed at nine o'clock. Therefore, it could not have been I who struck the blow. By your own shewing I was with you at the time. Now, am I innocent or guilty?" Mr. Cass looked at Geoffrey. "All this is true enough," he said, quietly. "I begin to believe that you did not do it after all." "If you can be so honest as to admit that I was in this room at nine o'clock I could not have killed Jenner, who was at that very time being murdered by some unknown person four miles away. I am a forger, I admit that; but"--here he became finely scornful--"I am not a murderer. Foolish I may have been, wicked I never was." The two listeners gazed at each other in amazement. Then Marshall went on. "Now I know where the bill is I feel relieved," he said, and his self-pity was almost, pathetic. "I can sleep in peace, more especially when it has been destroyed." As he spoke he advanced his hand towards the table with the intention of taking the paper. Mr. Cass anticipated him, and snatched the incriminating document away. "No, Marshall," he said, putting it in his pocket. "I keep this. You are too dangerous a man to be allowed to go your own way. I use this bill as a whip to manage you. Behave yourself, and act a decent part for the remainder of your life, and no one shall ever know of this. But try any of your tricks and you will be laid by the heels." "Do you call this honourable?" blustered Marshall. "I call it caution. You are quite safe with me, and I am sure our friend Heron will say nothing." "Certainly. I shall be guided entirely by Mr. Cass."