"Ah, that is for you to prove!"
"I shall prove it," said the other, quite unmoved, "in open court."
"That will be a harder task than you imagine," retorted Alan quickly. "But I am not here to discuss Miss Marlow's parentage. My errand is to ask you why you have accused me of taking away the body of her father."
"Richard Marlow was not her father," replied the man with heat.
"So you say--we can pass that point, as I told you before. I speak of the charge you have thought fit to bring against me."
"It is a true one. I am willing to take it into court."
"You may be brought into court sooner than you expect," remarked Alan dryly; and from the sudden start the man gave he saw that the shot had gone home. "On what grounds do you base this charge?"
"If Mr. Phelps reported the interview correctly, you must know," said he sullenly.
"To save time," retorted Alan, "I may as well admit that I do know. Jarks and Cicero speak the truth."
Lestrange looked surprised.