Immediately her manner changed. She became once more reserved, haughty and rebellious. But I had no choice save to go on.
"I am so sorry," I said, "that you resent my questioning you about these things. For surely, Miss Pembroke, you must understand, and it is my duty to make you understand that your position is serious. Now whether you want to or not, won't you please be honest with me, and confide more fully in me what knowledge you may have bearing on the case?"
"I can't be honest," she replied, with a sigh that seemed to come from her very soul; "I truly can't. Whatever you learn must be without my assistance."
"Why can you not be honest? Are you afraid to be?"
"I cannot answer that question, either. I tell you, Mr. Landon, that I have no information of any sort to give you."
"Then I must ask you a few definite questions, and you must answer them. Why did you not mention the letter that came to your uncle from Jonathan Scudder?"
"Who told you about that?"
The girl started up as if I had accused her of something serious, and indeed perhaps it was.
"The Inspector found the letter in your room," I replied; "as you were not willing to be frank in these matters, the law took its rights and searched the whole place for any possible light on the subject."
"And you consider that that letter throws light on the subject?"