"You'd better give me what I ask," growled Villiers in a threatening tone, "or I'll go straight and tell how you were at Lazarus's on the night of the murder."
"Perhaps you'll tell I killed him?" said Caprice, with a sneer.
"Perhaps I will," retorted Villiers; "there's no knowing."
"There's this much knowing," said Kitty deliberately, "that I won't give you a single penny. If I am called on to explain my movements, I can't do so; but it will be the worse for you, it will place--"
At this moment the bell rang, and Caprice started in alarm.
"Hush," she cried, advancing towards Villiers; "come to me again. I must not be seen talking with you here. Go away--not by the door," she said, with an angry stamp of her foot as Villiers went towards the door; "by the window--no one will see you."
Villiers moved towards the French window, opened it, and was just about to step out when Naball stepped forward.
"I'm afraid some one will," he said serenely, pushing Villiers back into the room, and closing the window.
"Naball!" cried Kitty and Villiers in a breath.
"Exactly," replied that gentleman, taking a chair. "I've come to have a talk with you both."