"Infernal scamp!" cried Gebb, swearing, "when he knew that the poor devil was innocent. Have you Miss Gilmar's confession?"
"Here it is; Alder gave it to me. It clears Dean entirely, so I suppose he'll receive a free pardon."
"I suppose so," said Gebb, putting the confession of Miss Gilmar into his pocket along with that of Alder. "But his life is ruined. I'm only sorry for one thing: that Alder did not live to be hanged."
"Well, I cannot agree with you; after all, he was my friend," said Basson, sadly.
"He was a blackguard," retorted Gebb, and took his departure.
[CHAPTER XXVI]
THE END OF IT ALL
One month after the death of John Alder, the two detectives, Parge and Gebb, sat in the room of the former, discussing the now solved mystery of the Grangebury Murder Case. On the table there lay a cheque for two hundred pounds made payable to Absalom Gebb, and signed by Edith Wedderburn. The conversation was mostly about this cheque and how it should be divided between them so as to compensate each with due fairness. The matter was a delicate one, and could not be settled without some sharp words on either side.
"After all, Simon," remonstrated Gebb, in vexed tones, "I did most of the work and deserve the reward for my pains."
"You don't deserve all of it," retorted Parge, captiously.