"No, I was as much astonished as you could have been when I heard of his death."
"If you are innocent"--It was Heron who spoke--"how did it happen that a part of the links you were wearing were found under the window of the house? You must have dropped it there."
"I did not." He seemed to be reflecting. "If you want to know the truth, that pair of links was torn from me by the footpads who attacked me. I daresay they killed him."
"Rubbish!" cried Mr. Cass, looking at him with disgust. "Why do you tell such lies? You met Jenner on that night, although you denied it when I questioned you."
"I was afraid of being implicated in the murder. I knew if you had the slightest suspicion of me you would have stopped my marriage with Inez, and I loved her."
"You loved her money, you mean."
"Well, then, I loved her money!" Marshall cried, violently. "I was on the brink of ruin, and it was only her that stood between me and the streets. I had to pay Roper the five hundred pounds. He could not have prosecuted as the bill was missing, but he could have talked, and he would have talked, had I not paid him the full sum. It was only when I had possession of the money--my wife's money--that I was able to shut his mouth. I knew before then that the bill was lost."
"Because Jenner had shewn it to you on that night?"
Marshall turned away sullenly, but still under compulsion answered: "Yes, he did. I had received a letter from him saying that he was coming here with the bill and would sell it to me. He asked me to meet him at the Waggoner's Pond, half a mile from the Turnpike House, where his wife was staying. As I had no money, and was in his power absolutely--for by shewing the bill to you, Cass, he could have had my marriage with your sister broken off--I was forced to meet him, and I did meet him at seven o'clock."
"Oh! so you did go out that night to meet him!"