Stonor could not bring himself to name Clare’s name to the man. “I think you know,” he said quietly. “When night came you fell or jumped out of the tree, and took to the bush. Later you attempted to sneak into the house——”
“Well, it was my own house, wasn’t it?”
“Sure, that’s what puzzles me. What were you afraid of? Then when the Indian woman screamed you lit out for the beach, and beat it up the river.”
“Well, was that a crime?”
“No, only a suspicious circumstance. Frankly, now, don’t you consider yourself a suspicious character?”
“Oh, it’s your business to suspect everybody!”
“Well, when I first met you, why did you lie to me concerning your identity?”
“I didn’t lie. I just kept the truth to myself.”
“You told me your name was Hooliam.”
“Can’t a man have more than one baptismal name?”