“Of course I am. When I had thrown Buckstone over the cliff, I began to think of Mary, and I am sure I never thought a word of what took place before the deed. I didn’t even think that any person was with Buckstone. In fact, my mind was all in confusion. I wasn’t used to doing such a job, and I felt all the time, before and afterwards, just as if I was living in some other world. It didn’t seem as though there were any other persons in existence but Mary and myself.” “I can understand your feelings, Ross. When did it first occur to you that I was the person with Buckstone on the rocks?” “Not till I went over after Dr. Bilks for Mary.” “Did you think of it while you were going after him, or while you were returning?” “Not till I saw Dr. Bilks. I told him all about what I had done to Buckstone, before he saw Mary, so that he might understand what ailed her. I went back with him to row him over the channel. Then I told him there was a man with Buckstone--I didn’t even think of it till then.” “What did Dr. Bilks say about it?” asked Dick, with an eagerness which he could not wholly conceal. “He said the stranger must be Mr. Hungerford.” “Mr. Hungerford!” exclaimed the lawyer. “Yes, sir; but I told him it was not; Mr. Hungerford was a good deal taller than this man.” “What then?” continued Dick, nervously. “Then he asked if it wasn’t Mr. Birch. I told him it might be; but I didn’t believe it was.” “What did he say then?” “He said he was satisfied the man was Mr. Birch. He told me you had said something to him about making Buckstone marry Mary. He said you did it from the best of motives; and I know you did, and I was very much obliged to you.” “This satisfied you that I was the person on the rocks with Buckstone?” “Well, yes; that was enough to satisfy me--wasn’t it?” said Ross, not a little puzzled by the troubled expression on the lawyer’s face. “I’m sure I feel very grateful to you for all you have done. Of course, if I had known you were the man with Buckstone, I shouldn’t have done what I did. You were acting all the time for Mary’s good.” “Did it seem reasonable to you that I should meet Buckstone in the dark, and bribe him to marry your sister?” asked Dick, as quietly as he could. “It didn’t seem exactly like you, I own; but, then, Buckstone is a slippery character, and I didn’t understand your plans. I knew you wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t right.” “Where did you find Dr. Bilks, when you went after him that night, Ross?” “In his office.” “Was he abed?” “No; he had just come in from making a visit.” “Do you know where he had been?” “He told me he had been over beyond the Point, where he had a bad case. He said it was rather hard on him to have to go out again, for he had hardly slept a wink for three nights, or something of that sort.”