'Because I was ill with brain-fever. When I recovered, all was finished. What was I to do? I warned Mr. Ravengar that young Powitt meant to kill him. He laughed. Of course, I left him. It is my belief that Mr. Ravengar was always a little mad. If he was not so before, this affair had strained his intelligence too much.'
'You did a very wrong thing,' said Hugo, 'in keeping silence.'
'Put yourself in my place,' Camilla answered. 'Think of all the facts. It was all so queer, And—and—Mr. Ravengar had found me in the room with young Powitt. Suppose he had—'
'Say no more,' Hugo besought her. 'How long is this ago?'
'Three years last June. In six months young Powitt's sentence will be up.'
Hugo nearly leapt from his chair.
'Is it possible, Mrs. Tudor,' he asked her eagerly, 'that you are not aware that in actual practice a reasonably well-behaved prisoner never serves the full period of his sentence? Marks for good conduct are allowed, and each mark means so many days deducted from the term.'
'I didn't know,' said Camilla simply. 'How should I know a thing like that?'
'I have no doubt that young Powitt is already free. And if he is—'
'You think that Mr. Ravengar's suicide may not have been a suicide?'