"I did, in my first wrath at the injustice of my sentence; but nearly twenty years of imprisonment removed revenge from my heart I came down to Kirkstone Hall not to kill her, but to implore her to tell the truth, and free me from undeserved shame. But she had fled, thinking in her guilty mind that I intended to harm her. I told Miss Wedderburn that I did not, also Ar--I mean Mr. Ferris."
"You can call him Arthur," said Gebb, coolly. "I know that he is your son."
"Is this so?" asked Dean, looking with some surprise at Ferris.
"Yes, father. I told Mr. Gebb the truth, or, rather, I admitted it, as he had already learned my relationship to you from Prain. He knows everything, and we have come to ask you to right yourself in his eyes--to confess."
"Confess, Arthur! Do you believe that I killed Kirkstone?"
"No," said Arthur, with conviction, "I do not."
"And you, Edith," said Dean, looking at the girl, "is it your opinion that I am guilty of Miss Gilmar's death?"
"No," replied Edith, in her turn. "Appearances are against you, but I truly believe you to be guiltless."
"And so I am, for----"
"Before you go on," interrupted Gebb, looking up, "I think it will be best for you to approach this matter with more particularity. Were you not at Grangebury on the night of the twenty-fourth of July?"