"No, no! I did love him, but now I do not care for him save as a friend; and for such friendship's sake I should be sorry to see him convicted of a crime which he may not have committed."
"Well. I'll say nothing against him until I see Lovel. This very moment I'll go to The Herne Arms and question him."
"Do, do; and come back to tell me if he can prove the innocence of Mr. Herne."
"I suspect he'll have enough to do to prove his own," said Paul grimly; and forthwith left the house on his errand. With him he carried the incriminating handkerchief, which Iris had forgotten to ask for back again.
On his way to the inn Paul wondered why he had not adopted before the very obvious course of questioning Lovel. He should have gone to him after Brent's confession of the false alibi and have forced the young man to explain why he and the old gipsy had perjured themselves at the inquest; but on further reflection Paul recollected that circumstances had intervened which had made it impossible to seek the interview with Lovell. But now all obstacles had been removed; he had accumulated from Brent, Miss Clyde, Catinka and others a mass of circumstantial evidence; and at the coming conversation he was fully prepared to encounter any further deceptions which Lovel might employ to evade discovery. Paul did not believe that Lovel was guilty, as even the passion of jealousy would hardly have incited him to slay the girl who loved and trusted him; but he was certain that Lovel knew the name of the assassin; and he was equally certain that such name would be Darcy Herne.
At the inn Mexton learnt that Lovel was in his sitting-room, and at once he sent up his card with a request for an interview. He had a fancy that Lovel, for obvious reasons, would refuse to see him; but, rather to his surprise, he was requested to walk upstairs. When the servant closed the door behind him Paul found himself in a comfortable apartment, alone with the man who, as he believed, held in his hands the sole clue to the mysterious death of Milly. Lucas looked worn and ill; there were dark circles under his eyes, and he appeared listless and indifferent, as though his vitality was exhausted. Without offering his hand to Mexton, he bowed and pushed forward a chair.
"Hast thou found me out, O my enemy?" he said softly.
Mexton stared, as well he might, for the Biblical quotation was a strange one for Lovel to use. Paul thought it rather theatrical. "I am not your enemy, Mr. Lovel," he said, taking his seat. "I think you know that very well."
"How should I know, when Brent tells me that you go to him to worm out my secrets?"
"As to that," replied Paul coldly, "I have a right to discover any secrets which are likely to lead to the detection of Milly's assassin."