sometimes done
towards the end before their quarrel. Yet she did it again now, the
very moment his quicker vision descried the cyclist in the drive.

"I hope they are not going to run me in to-night," he said. "If they do,
I shall run _them_ in for riding without a light. So it's Langholm!
Well, Langholm, put salt on him yet?"

"On whom?"

"Your murderer, of course."

"I have his confession in my pocket."

It was the first time that Rachel had known her husband taken visibly
aback.

"Good God!" he cried. "Then you don't think it's me any longer?"

"I know it is not. Nevertheless, Mrs. Steel must prepare for a shock."

Rachel was shocked. But her grief and horror, though both were real and
poignant, were swept away for that hour at least by the full tide of her
joy.

It was a double joy. Not only would Rachel be cleared for ever before
the world, but her husband would stand exonerated at her side. The day
of unfounded suspicions, of either one of them, by the other or by the
world, that day at least was over once for all.

Her heart was too full for many explanations; she lingered while
Langholm told of his interview with Abel, and then left him to one with
her husband alone.

Langholm thereupon spoke more openly of his whole case against Steel,
who instantly admitted its strength.

"But I owe you an apology," the latter added, "not only for something I
said to you this afternoon, more in mischief than in malice, which I
would nevertheless unsay if I could, but for deliberately manufacturing
the last link in your chain. I happened to buy both my revolvers and
Minchin's from a hawker up the country; his were a present from me; and,
as they say out there, one pair was the dead spit of the other. This
morning when I found I was being shadowed by these local heroes, it
occurred to me for my own amusement to put one of my pair in a
thoroughly conspicuous place, and this afternoon I could not resist
sending you to the room to add it to your grand discoveries. You see, I
could have proved an alibi for the weapon, at all events, during my trip
to town a year ago. Yes, poor Minchin wrote to me, and I went up to town
by the next train to take him by surprise. How you got to know of his
letter I can't conceive. But it carried no hint of blackmail. I think
you did wonders, and I hope you will forgive me for that little trap;
it really wasn't set for you. It is also perfectly true that I stayed at
the Cadogan and was