Miss Colmer looked earnestly at the envelope, and shook her head. "I never saw that writing before," she said, decisively.
"Yet you can see that the post mark is of this village."
"So it appears; nevertheless. I cannot name the writer; and I cannot understand why you show it to me."
"Well, Miss Colmer," said Fanks, disappointed with this answer, "when I find out who wrote this envelope I shall know who killed Sir Gregory."
"I am sorry I cannot help you, Mr. Fanks. I see that you think the envelope came from this house, but I assure you that you are wrong. Both my mother and myself considered Sir Gregory a villain because of his treatment of poor Emma; but we did not wish his death. If you came here to find the assassin you have wasted your time. I know nothing about the matter."
"Then what is it that Hersham did not wish you to reveal?"
"Nothing; he wished me to deny that I had been at the chambers of Sir Gregory on that day, lest you should think I had something to do with the murder."
"Oh!" said Fanks, disbelievingly. "And did Hersham wish you to deny also that you had been in Tooley's Alley on the night of the murder?"
Anne became pale at the directness of this attack, and took refuge in a plain denial. "I was not there," she said, obstinately. "Neither on that night nor at any time."
"Pardon me, I saw you myself."