“Political?”
“It may be.”
“And were both victims of the plot?”
“I cannot tell. At present I’m making all the secret inquiries possible—far afield in a Continental city. It takes time, care, and patience. As soon as I obtain anything tangible, I will tell you. But first of all, Max,” he added, “I wish to have your assurance that you no longer suspect me. I am not your enemy—why should you be mine?”
“I am not, my dear fellow,” declared Barclay. “How can I be the enemy of Marion’s brother? I was only suspicious. You would have been the same in similar circumstances, I’m sure.”
“Probably,” laughed Charlie. “Yet what you’ve told me about the endeavour to implicate myself in the affair is certainly extraordinary. I don’t see any motive.”
“Except that you were known by the conspirators, whoever they are, to be Maud’s lover.”
“If so, then they intend, most probably, to bring some false charge against me. And—and—”
“And what?” asked Max in some surprise.
“Why, don’t you see?” he said hoarsely, staring straight into his friend’s face with a horrified expression as a terrible truth arose within him. “Don’t you see that you yourself, Max, would become the principal witness against me!”