ke her in my arms and try to comfort her.

Yes, I loved her; there is no use in holding back the confession; else
where would be my great personal interest and concern in the death of
Felix Page?

Yet I did not protest further; remonstrance would avail me nothing.
Gently as she had spoken, it was driven home to me that she had
expressed a determination which no power in heaven or on the earth
below could change.

Another long silence followed, during which I as well as she was
stirred by the most conflicting emotions. At last, though, I too began
to see my way clear. Matters could not be helped any by either of us
shirking the least part of a responsibility which had, within the last
few minutes, become sweetly mutual. How anxious I was to spare her!

The silence was broken by Genevieve abruptly rising.

"I must really go," she announced, hurriedly. She was the least bit
flurried, and there was a wonderful soft light in the handsome eyes
that had not been there when she came. As she passed me she lightly
brushed my shoulder with the gloved tips of one hand.

"I am no longer cast-down," I heard her murmur; "I know you will
do--what is right."

I caught the fingers, detaining her.

"Don't go--not yet."

She lingered, expectant and more cheerful.

"I can't let you go like this"--I was steady enough now. She moved
again to the chair she had just vacated, and I released the slim, soft
fingers.

"There is one thing we haven't considered," I pursued, "and that is Mr.
Alexander Burke. You say Mr. Fluette despises him: if he does, it is
not without warrant, I 'd be willing to swear. What that fellow's game
is I can't just at this time conceive, but I 'm confident that he 's
playing one of some kind--a deep one, too. If he is, the
potentialities are endless with such a cunning, unscrupulous rascal.

"I 'm satisfied, moreover, that he has lied to me. According to his
statement, no one was in this house last night besides himself, Mr.
Page, and Royal Maillot. Between him and Maillot I give the latter the
preference, for, if the stories of both are true on any one point, it
is that Burke was up and about before and during the time the murder
was committed. Burke is consequently in the best position to know who
was or was not in the house.

"Now I have a particular reason for thinking that this is one phase of
the matter about which he has lied. Should it be that some one else
was here--some one that we