Miss Arnott was struck by the singularity of the woman's manner; she yielded to a sudden impulse.
"Evans, I fancy you are under a misapprehension. If so, let me remove it from your mind, if it can be removed. I believe you think that I am responsible for what happened to that man in Cooper's Spinney. I'm not. I had no hand in it whatever."
"You didn't kill him?"
"Emphatically, no. I had nothing to do with killing him; nothing."
"Miss, are you sure?"
"I am quite sure; quite."
"I believe you, miss, I believe you. But--I don't understand--the stains upon your things; the knife? If you didn't kill him yourself you know who did."
"I thought I did; that is why the knife is in my possession. Bringing it home--inside my bodice--caused the stains."
"Whose knife is it? Did it belong to the--man who was killed?"
"No; it did not. I would rather not tell you to whom it did belong--at least, not now."