“My reward will be to free an innocent woman from the imputation of crime which hangs over her.”
This assurance seemed to satisfy him. His voice and appearance changed; for a moment he looked quite confidential. “Well, well,” said he; “and what is it you want to know?”
“I should first like to know how your suspicions came to light on him at all. What reason had you for thinking a gentleman of his bearing and position was in any way connected with this affair?”
“That is a question you ought not to be obliged to put,” he returned.
“How so?”
“Simply because the opportunity of answering it was in your hands before ever it came into mine.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you remember the letter mailed in your presence by Miss Mary Leavenworth during your drive from her home to that of her friend in Thirty-seventh Street?”
“On the afternoon of the inquest?”
“Yes.”