"I am glad to see you, Hersham," he said, in a gentle tone, "as I hope what you have to tell me may throw some light on the darkness of this Tooley Alley crime."
"I can throw no light on the cursed thing," said Hersham, gloomily. "I am only here to exonerate myself."
"From what? What do you mean?"
"Why should you ask me that?" said Hersham, angrily. "Is it not you who suspect me of killing this man?"
"Decidedly not. I do not think you killed Fellenger. As I told you before I do not believe you had anything to do with it."
"Then why did you have me watched?" demanded the young man.
"Ask that of yourself," said Fanks, coolly. "You roused my suspicions; you hinted that you knew something; you thwarted me with regard to Anne Colmer. Cast your mind back to our first conversation, man; you will say that I had every reason for acting as I did. If you had told me the truth at first; had you become my ally instead of my enemy, you would not have had all this trouble. But, for all that, I do not suspect you of being a murderer. Had I done so," finished Fanks, "you would have been in a cell long e'er this."
"I held my tongue because I was afraid of you," said Hersham, sullenly.
"If you are innocent, there is no reason to be afraid of me."
"I am innocent; and yet I am afraid of you. Yes, I am dreading to tell you what I am about to reveal."