be accepted as proved the moment I showed
that I had not left Mrs. Clemmens' house at the time she was believed to
be murdered."

"And so it would," responded Mr. Gryce, "if the prosecution had not seen
reason to believe that the moment of Mrs. Clemmens' death has been put
too early. We now think she was not struck till some time after twelve,
instead of five minutes before."

"Indeed?" said Mr. Mansell, with stern self-control.

Mr. Gryce, whose carelessly roving eye told little of the close study
with which he was honoring the man before him, nodded with grave
decision.

"You could add very much to our convictions on this point," he observed,
"by telling what it was you saw or heard in Mrs. Clemmens' house at the
moment you fled from it so abruptly."

"How do you know I fled from it abruptly?"

"You were seen. The fact has not appeared in court, but a witness we
might name perceived you flying from your aunt's door to the swamp as if
your life depended upon the speed you made."

"And with that fact added to all the rest you have against me, you say
you believe me innocent?" exclaimed Mr. Mansell.

"Yes; for I have also said I believe Mrs. Clemmens not to have been
assaulted till after the hour of noon. You fled from the door at
precisely five minutes before it."

The uneasiness of Mr. Mansell's face increased, till it amounted to
agitation.

"And may I ask," said he, "what has happened to make you believe she was
not struck at the moment hitherto supposed?"

"Ah, now," replied the detective, "we come down to facts." And leaning
with a confidential air toward the prisoner, he quietly said: "Your
counsel has died, for one thing."

Astonished as much by the tone as the tenor of these words, Mr. Mansell
drew back from his visitor in some distrust. Seeing it, Mr. Gryce edged
still farther forward, and calmly continued:

"If no one has told you the particulars of Mr. Orcutt's death, you
probably do not know why Miss Dare was at his house last evening?"

The look of the prisoner was sufficient reply.

"She went there," resumed Mr. Gryce, with composure, "to tell him that
her whole evidence against you had been given under the belief that you
were guilty of the crime with which you had been charged; that by a
trick of my fellow-detectives, Hickory and Byrd, she had been deceived
into thinking you had actually admitted your guilt to her; and that she
had only been undeceived after she had uttered the perjur