"You did, when you could have used it to stop his evil doings?"
"I wished to give him another chance of reforming," protested Jerce.
"You liar!" shouted Ferdy, beside himself with rage. "You gave me the cheque after I had stamped Uncle Henry's dead body with the Purple Fern according to your directions."
"Yes," said Jerce, rashly losing his self-control, "and after you had murdered your guardian."
"I did not! I did not!"
"On what grounds do you base this accusation, Jerce?" asked Ackworth.
"On the grounds that Felix Exton, the young man who died in Tea Street, Whitechapel, gave me the stamp of the Purple Fern----"
"You never said that before."
"There was no need. I never said so, because Ferdinand stole the stamp from me, and I thought that he might make use of it. Horran was angry with him, and Ferdinand wished to get rid of him, thinking that he would then come into the money. I base my accusation upon the fact that the Purple Fern was stamped on my poor friend's forehead, and only Ferdinand, who possessed the stamp, could have done that. For your sake, Miss Baird, I have held my peace, cruelly though you have treated me; but now, when Ferdinand seeks to throw the blame of his wickedness on me, I must speak out, to protect myself. If need be I shall go to the police, and tell all that I know. I am not a man to be defied with impunity."
The clever turn which the doctor gave to Ferdy's story startled Clarice, as she saw how dangerous the man was, and to what lengths he was prepared to go to save his own skin. "You had the gold box," she said, rather weakly.