"But how can she know?" argued Alicia. "Howard confessed that he did it himself. If he had not confessed it would be different."
"He did not confess," replied the other calmly. "Mrs. Jeffries—he never confessed. If he did, he didn't know what he was saying."
Alicia was rapidly losing her self-possession.
"Did he tell you that?" she gasped.
Annie nodded.
"Yes. Dr. Bernstein says the police forced it out of his tired brain. I made Howard go over every second of his life that night from the time he left me to the moment he was arrested. There wasn't a harsh word between them." She stopped short and looked with alarm at Alicia, who had turned ashen white. "Why, what's the matter? You're pale as death—you——"
Alicia could contain herself no longer. Her nerves were on the point of giving way. She felt that if she could not confide her secret to some one she must go mad. Pacing the floor, she cried:
"What am I to do? What am I to do? I believed Howard guilty. Why shouldn't I? I had no reason to doubt his own confession! Every one believed it—his own father included. Why should I doubt it. But I see it all now! Underwood must have shot himself as he said he would!"
Annie started. What did Mrs. Jeffries mean? Did she realize the tremendous significance of the words she was uttering?
"As he said he would?" she repeated slowly.