"Well, you did."
"Yes," said Clarice, indignantly, "because Mr. Barras cooked the accounts, and put the blame of the missing thousands on to my poor guardian, who could not defend himself. The villain. And you knew this, Ferdy--you knew this, and did not tell me?"
"How could I, when I was in Jerce's power over that bill? Besides, I didn't clearly understand things. I only heard bits of the conversation, you know."
"Go on--go on," said Ackworth, quickly, "tell us how you committed the murder."
"I did not--I did not," cried Ferdy, furiously. "I swear I am innocent of that crime. After Christmas, Jerce said that if I didn't kill Uncle Henry before the end of the year, that he would denounce me. He said that if I stamped the corpse with the Purple Fern everyone would think that Osip had killed him. Then he told me about Frank Clarke, and how he had given him the stamp and the gold box."
"Then he did have the gold box?" asked Clarice.
"Yes. He gave me the stamp, but he kept the box in his pocket, as he thought it was safest there. He feared lest it should be found, and lest the amethyst fern on it should give him away. When Osip attacked him out there"--Ferdy pointed to the terrace--"Jerce managed to throw it away, and then bamboozled me when I came up, about not having Osip arrested. He dared not," cried Ferdy, tauntingly, "as Osip might have given him away."
"Oh, great heavens!" moaned Clarice, rocking herself to and fro, "is there much more of this?"
"No," said her brother, quickly. "I'm sure I want to end it as much as you do, Clarry. I never intended to kill Uncle Henry, but Jerce insisted."
"You've said that several times," said Anthony, impatiently.