"If what I've told you don't convince you, nothing will," he said sarcastically. "Ain't I said all your being asked to Marlow was a blind? I found out Mr. Lancaster had been with you on that night by means of the stick."
"Which you denied having seen," interpolated Adrian quietly.
"That's my business; you said it was your stick—which was a lie. Well, I answered Miss Maunders' advertisement and told her all I knew."
"In other words, you betrayed me."
"You can call it what you like, but I had to look after Number One, and she paid me well for what I told her."
"So now, having betrayed me and getting paid, you are going to betray her in the hope of a similar reward?"
"I always make hay while the sun shines," retorted Dentham with an ugly smile, for he did not like his villainies to be put before him so plainly. "Whatever I did is none of your business, all I know is, this Miss Maunders and Mr. Rudall came to your house this morning, found Mr. Lancaster's body where you hid it and called in the police; if I hadn't sent that telegram to Marlow, you'd have gone back home and been arrested, but I saved you."
"For your own ends," said Adrian with a dreary laugh. "Good heavens, what scoundrels there are in this world! So you think I killed Adrian Lancaster?"
"I'm sure of it," replied Dentham promptly. "I saw it myself."
"And where is it now?" demanded Adrian, leaning back in his chair.