"Henry, where have you been tonight? What have you been doing?"
There was an appeal in his voice that no one could have heard with indifference, and Burton was thankful that Henry answered at once and with none of his old cynical mockery.
"I have been getting married," he said.
"Oh, joy!" murmured Ralston, in the background.
Henry turned to Watson as he explained.
"I heard today, or yesterday, I suppose it is now, that Selby was engaged,--that is, that he said he was engaged,--to Minnie Hadley. I wanted to speak to her about it, and I didn't see any chance of doing it without the whole town knowing it unless I gave Mason the slip. So I waited till he was asleep and then I shinned down the tree. Burton here tried to stop me, but I didn't have time to explain. I got Minnie down by throwing pebbles on her window, and when we had talked things over we decided that the best way to make things safe for the future was to be married right away. So we went over to Mr. Domat's house,--he's Minnie's minister,--and he married us, and I guess it's legal all right, even if I am in the custody of the law. Then I took her home,--I took her back to Mr. Hadley's house. I was on my way back home when I ran across old Higgins, who said the whole force was out looking for me. I preferred to come by myself rather than to be brought like a runaway schoolboy, so I gave him the slip, and I came here instead of going to the station, because I thought this was your personal affair, Watson. You put me on my word, and you might have known that I was going to keep it. What made you stir up such a hullaballoo about my merely temporary absence?"
"Because," said Watson dryly, "during your merely temporary absence Selby was killed. Your cuff-button was found in his room. It seemed advisable to find the rest of you as soon as possible."
Henry looked so startled and so guilty that Burton interposed. He could not bear to see for even a moment the old look of sullen defiance on Henry's face.
"Go on, Watson. Tell him the rest."
"Ben Bussey is under arrest. We caught him in an attempt to fire this house, but from certain indications, it looks as though the charge against him now would be for the murder of Selby rather than arson. But if your alibi isn't good--!"