"And yet was in Professor Darling's observatory, a mile or so away?"
"Yes."
A satirical laugh broke from the prisoner.
"I think," said he, "that instead of my telling you how she could have seen this from Mrs. Clemmens' house, you should tell me how she could have seen it from Professor Darling's observatory."
"That is easy enough. She was looking through a telescope."
"What?"
"At the moment you were turning from Mrs. Clemmens' door, Miss Dare, perched in the top of Professor Darling's house, was looking in that very direction through a telescope."
"I—I would like to believe that story," said the prisoner, with suppressed emotion. "It would——"
"What?" urged the detective, calmly.
"Make a new man of me," finished Mansell, with a momentary burst of feeling.