"I mean to find out what they're doing with Nancy," repeated Colin. "If Medwin won't speak, I'll damned well make him."
For a moment Marsden stood motionless, glancing thoughtfully from one to the other of them.
"I'm hanged if I haven't a good mind to let you try it," he said, suddenly. "It's just one of those mad things that might come off—provided it's properly handled."
"We'll handle it all right," said Colin. "You can trust me for that."
"I hope I can," retorted Marsden. "I tell you frankly that if it weren't for Miss Seymour I should lock you both up straight away. I feel, however, that it's my carelessness that's got her into this mess, and if you can possibly force the truth out of Medwin it may save her a lot of unpleasantness." He paused. "How do you propose to set about it?"
"I shall go down to his house," said Colin, "and tax him with the whole story."
Marsden hesitated. "It will mean showing our cards with a vengeance," he said, "but as things are I don't know that it really matters. He'd be bound to take alarm directly he heard of the arrest of Fenton and Cooper, and however much you frighten him he hasn't a dog's chance of getting away." He took another step forward, and contemplated Colin from under his bushy eyebrows. "You quite understand the position, my young friend. Supposing anything goes wrong, it will be no use expecting me to help you. From the moment you leave this office you will be acting entirely on your own responsibility."
"Of course we shall," said Colin coolly. "The first thing you'll know about it is when we ring up and tell you the result."
With a faint twitch of his lips the detective held out his hand.
"Good luck to you, doctor," he said. "That young lady deserves a man, and I'll take my oath she's got one."