"I refuse to say."
The detective shrugged his shoulders, and smiles passed across the faces of his two companions.
"You prefer arrest, then?" he said.
"I prefer to keep my own counsel," she answered. "These persons," she continued, indicating us, "have believed themselves extremely ingenious, apparently taking upon themselves the duties of the police, and have arrived at quite a wrong conclusion. You may arrest me if you wish. I have nothing whatever to fear."
And she glanced around at us in open defiance. Indeed, so indifferent was she, that I felt convinced Ernest's theory of the committal of the crime had fallen to the ground.
The detective seemed, however, well aware of the woman's character, and proceeded to deal with her accordingly.
"You are charged with the murder," he said. "It is for you to prove your innocence."
"Who, pray, is the witness against me?" she demanded indignantly.
"Your accomplice!" cried Ernest quickly. "The man Laumont."
"Laumont!" she cried. "He—he has told you that I committed the crime; he has denounced me as the murderess?"