"I am sorry to interrupt you," replied Paul, taking the chair near the desk, "and you may be sure I should not have done so without a good reason."
"I am sure of that," said Chaskin, still standing, "but I hope your reason is not connected with your duties to your journal."
"No; it is connected with my friendship for the dead girl and for her father."
"Dr. Lester. Ah, I am sorry for him, in spite of his vice of drinking. The loss of his daughter will be a great blow to him. Where is he now, Mr. Mexton?"
"In his own house," said Paul, slowly, "under arrest."
"Under arrest!" repeated the Vicar, staring at the young man. "For what?"
"For the murder of his daughter."
"Mr. Mexton!" The clergyman fell back into his chair as though he had been shot, and turned even paler. "Impossible!" he groaned; "impossible!"
"Unfortunately, it is true," said Paul, sadly--"and on these grounds;" whereupon he rapidly detailed the evidence upon which Drek intended to obtain a warrant for arrest. Chaskin listened with clasped hands, the beads of perspiration bedewing his high forehead, and did not make any comment upon the intelligence until Paul had finished. Then he spoke slowly and with an effort.
"It points to the guilt of the poor creature," said he, raising his head; "but for all that I cannot believe that Dr. Lester committed a crime so abhorrent to human nature."