Fuller jumped up quickly, “Not just now, Dick; don’t say anything to him. He would certainly arrest Sorley straight away, and I wish to spare Marie the disgrace.”
“But the truth is bound to come out sooner or later, Alan,” remarked Dick, perplexed how to act.
“The truth! Quite so. Still, when known, the truth may not implicate Mr. Sorley. For all we know he may be perfectly innocent.”
“He may be,” retorted Latimer dryly, and with a shrug, “but to my mind he seems to be deeply involved in the matter. The evidence is strong——”
“The circumstantial evidence,” corrected Alan quickly.
“I don’t see that your interpolated word matters a cent, sonny. The peacock being in the man’s possession points to his guilt.”
“Unless Miss Grison left it secretly at The Monastery.”
“There is that chance certainly,” admitted Dick with another shrug. “However as Sorley is not aware that he is suspected he won’t try to bolt, so under the circumstances I shall hold my tongue until things straighten out a trifle. But if he does try to leave the country, I must speak, Alan, and so must you, else we may be accused of compounding a felony. As a lawyer you ought to know that much.”
“I do know it,” said Fuller impatiently, “and if Sorley is guilty he assuredly must be arrested and punished when the case is proved. All the same we must give him the benefit of the doubt until his criminality is placed beyond all question.”
“Why do you defend the man so?” asked Latimer suspiciously; “you don’t approve of him, as you have told me dozens of times.”