"I have a feeling that you are keeping something back, Monsieur Horton. I warn you that you will not make things easy for yourself in making them difficult for me."
"What do you mean, Monsieur?" asked Jim, sure that his position and Piquette's had now grown desperate.
"Merely, Monsieur," said the Commissaire with a glance at the dead man, "that blows such as this are not struck by spiritual agencies, that when there is a murdered man there must also be a murderer. Your testimony and that of Madame Morin agree, but then I cannot neglect the possibility that you may have some object in agreeing."
"You believe that I——" Horton broke in in horror.
"I believe nothing until it is definitely proved. I admit that there are many phases of this case which seem favorable to a belief in your story. But there are also some points which from your testimony seem to be—er—incredible. We do not live in an age of miracles. Murders are not committed by spirits who vanish. There was bad blood between you and your brother. You yourself have admitted it. Madame Morin had a suspicion when he came up the stair that the Petit Bleu you received was a trap intended for you——"
"Which my brother fell into," said Horton, in a last desperate effort to clear himself. "Why, Monsieur, you yourself can see how like we are. The blow was intended for me——"
"You are fortunate, Monsieur," said the Commissaire, with a shrug. "And you will have every chance to prove your innocence. But I cannot take the grave responsibility of liberating you. The case must go to the Prefet and will be heard in its entirety, including the many details which have been suggested as to Madame Horton and Monsieur Quinlevin. I am only sent here to investigate the case in its physical aspects. And the result of the investigation is to place you and Madame Morin under arrest."
Horton straightened and glanced around at the others in the room. They had ceased to have personalities. They looked like wax images—staring at him in wonder, in curiosity, as though he were already condemned. From them his glance found Piquette. Her face was white and she was staring at the Commissaire as though she could not believe the evidence of her ears.
"Why, Monsieur, have we not told you——?" he heard her begin, when the officer silenced her.
"You will have every opportunity to testify to-morrow, Madame."