"Didn't the Major tell you that he had found Bellaria stabbed?"
"No, sah. Him say noting: I ask noting. Dat's all."
"If Major Rebb was in the Pixy's House at midnight, he either stabbed Bellaria himself, or he knows who stabbed her," said Gerald deliberately, and rose. "Is this all you have to tell me?"
"Dat all," growled the man sullenly. "But de Major did not kill. Bellaria asked for my big knife, 'cause she was feared."
"Did you know what she feared?"
"No, sah. De Major, he know, but he no tell me."
There was nothing to be done but to wait and see Rebb, so as to question him on this unexpected information, which Mrs. Geary had forced her cowed husband to give. Haskins slipped a sovereign into the woman's hand, and walked to the door. "If you follow me again to knife me, Adonis," he remarked, "remember I have a revolver."
The negro pointed to his useless right arm. "I can do noting," he said, and his eyes flashed as he added: "I should like to."
Mrs. Geary pushed past her husband. "No, you can do nothing with that arm. It has beaten me often enough. Geary," she pointed a finger at him, "now I leave your house with my children; this very moment I leave. I shall never see you again."
"You have nowhere to go, you fool gal."