Blake started. It was Colonel Challoner's handwriting, and was addressed to Clarke.
"Read it," Benson advised; "it's justifiable."
Blake read it aloud, holding the paper near the fire, where the light showed up the grimness of his face:
"'In reply to your letter, I have nothing further to say. I believe I have already made my intentions plain. It would be useless for you to trouble me with any further proposals.'"
Blake folded the letter and put it into his pocket before he spoke.
"I think I see," he said very quietly. "The man has been trying to bleed the Colonel, and has got his answer."
"Is that all?" Harding asked.
"Well, I believe it proves that your conclusions are right. I won't go into particulars, but where my uncle and cousin are threatened I'm, so to speak, the leading witness for the defense, and it wouldn't have suited Clarke to let me speak. No doubt, that's why he took rather drastic measures to put me out of the way."
"Then you mean never to question the story of the Indian affair?"
"What do you know about it?" Blake asked curtly.