“It has to come out sooner or later, Miss Inderwick,” remarked Dick in a voice full of regret, for the girl’s tears made him feel ashamed of having brought about the catastrophe.
“What has to come out?”
“The fact that Mr. Sorley murdered——”
Marie sprang to her feet and the color flew to her wan cheeks. “I don’t believe it; I don’t, I don’t, I don’t,” she said almost fiercely. “Uncle Ran has his faults, and never did care much for me, besides using my income and being nasty to Alan because he loved me. But he would never kill anyone, I am sure, Mr. Latimer. What Miss Grison says in that paper is a lie.”
“Oh,” cried Fuller quickly, “you saw that paper?”
“Yes; The Latest News! That boy brought it to Uncle Ran, for I saw him give it through the window of the library while I was walking on the terrace. Uncle Ran left it behind in his hurry, and——”
“He left in a hurry?” asked Dick suddenly.
“Yes. He told me that he had received bad news and would be away for a time and that I was to use the money—the twenty pounds I mean—to keep things going.”
“Did he say anything about returning?”
“No. He was in such a hurry that he had no time to say much. And then very late at night there was a ring at the door, and Henny went down to find a man with another man who said they had come to arrest Uncle Ran for murder. I had to get up and answer questions, and then one man went away while the other stayed. He’s at The Monastery now,” cried Marie with a fresh burst of tears, “and I haven’t been in bed all night. Henny made me lie down for a time this morning, and then I came up by the midday train to see you, Alan. Oh, what does it all mean?”