"Did Morley know that Anne was here?"
"Certainly not. At the outset of our acquaintance he informed me that he believed her to be guilty. I resolved to say nothing, lest he might tell the police."
"Why did you not tell him that she was innocent?" asked Giles hotly.
The man looked grave and smoothed his shaven chin—a habit with him when perplexed. "Because I could not do so without telling an untruth," he said coldly.
Giles started to his feet, blazing with anger. "What!" he cried, "can you sit there and tell me that your own niece killed that poor girl?"
"I have reason to believe that she did," replied Franklin.
"She told me she was innocent," began Ware.
Franklin interrupted. "She loves you too well to say otherwise. But she is—guilty."
"I would not believe that if she told me herself."
"Sit down, Mr. Ware," said Franklin, after a pause. "I'll explain exactly how the confession came about."