"You say 'he.' Was the assassin then a man?"
"I suppose so. At the inquest the doctor said that no woman could have struck such a blow. But I am really ignorant of all, save what appeared in the papers. I am the worst person in the world to apply to for information, sir."
"Perhaps you are, so far as the crime is concerned. But there is one question I should like to ask you. An impertinent one."
"What is it?" demanded the girl, visibly nervous.
"Why do you refuse to marry Mallow?"
"That is very impertinent," said Juliet, controlling herself; "so much so that I refuse to reply."
"As a gentleman, I take that answer," said Jennings mildly, "but as a detective I ask again for your reason."
"I fail to see what my private affairs have to do with the law."
Jennings smiled at this answer and thought of the knife which he had found. A less cautious man would have produced it at once and have insisted on an explanation. But Jennings wished to learn to whom the knife belonged before he ventured. He was sure that it was not the property of Juliet, who had no need for such a dangerous article, and he was equally sure that as she was shielding someone, she would acknowledge that she had bought the weapon. He was treading on egg-shells, and it behooved him to be cautious. "Very good," he said at length, "we will pass that question for the present, though as Mallow's friend I am sorry. Will you tell me to whom you gave the photograph of Mallow which he presented to you?"
"How do you know about that?" asked Miss Saxon quickly. "And why do you ask?"