"I want your opinion. I know from Mr. Alder that you did not believe Dean guilty of Kirkstone's murder."
"No. That I did not," rejoined Basson, hastily. "No more than I believe Mr. Ferris--poor boy--guilty of this one. I was coming to tell you that he was at my lecture on the night of the murder, but Alder said he would speak to you about it. Did he?"
Gebb nodded. "I know that Ferris is innocent, but he had the necklace in his possession, and that is a suspicious circumstance."
"I saw about that in the papers," said Basson, nodding. "Well, and how does he say the necklace came into his hands?"
"He declines to tell me."
"Does he? With his neck in the noose, so to speak."
"Precisely, Mr. Basson; he did not even confess his presence at your lecture. He said he was innocent, and for the rest held his tongue."
Basson stared, and pressed the tobacco in the pipe bowl with his little finger. "Now, that's queer," he said. "Why does he act in this way?"
"I think he wishes to shield his father."
"I didn't know he had a father. Thought his father was dead."