"I hope the police will take that view," sneered the Squire. "You returned here after nine and went straight to bed, when you might have guessed that I was in the library waiting for your report."
"I was too upset to give any report," said Montrose shortly.
"Oh, I quite believe that."
"Douglas! father," cried Alice imploringly, as she could not yet understand the precise situation. "What does it all mean?"
"It means so far as I can judge that Montrose forced the lie down Narvaez' throat, as he said he would, and very thoroughly."
"Do you accuse me of killing the man?" said Montrose hoarsely.
"Yes!" said the Squire, looking at him with grim directness.
"Then I deny absolutely what you say," declared the other vehemently; "as I said before, I left Narvaez in his room shortly before nine o'clock, after he had confessed to me that what he mentioned to you was untrue."
"What did he mention to father?" questioned the girl, terrified at the furious looks of the two men. "I was with Julian until eleven, and when I returned home you had gone to bed, Douglas. I came to tell you about Julian, father, but you did not say that anything had happened."
"Nothing had happened then so far as I know," said Enistor quickly. "My dear, I saw Don Pablo yesterday and he told me that Montrose was already married."