n looked grave and smoothed his shaven chin--a habit with him when
perplexed. "Because I could not do so without telling an untruth," he
said coldly.

Giles started to his feet, blazing with anger. "What!" he cried, "can
you sit there and tell me that your own niece killed that poor girl?"

"I have reason to believe that she did," replied Franklin.

"She told me she was innocent," began Ware.

Franklin interrupted. "She loves you too well to say otherwise. But she
is--guilty."

"I would not believe that if she told me herself."

"Sit down, Mr. Ware," said Franklin, after a pause. "I'll explain
exactly how the confession came about."

Giles took his seat again, and eyed his host pale but defiant. "It is no
use your saying anything against Anne. She is innocent."

"Mr. Ware, I believed that when she first came to me. I hate my brother
because he is a bad man; but I liked his niece, and when she came to me
for shelter I took her in, notwithstanding the enormity of the crime
which she was accused of having committed."

"It gained you your fortune," said Ware bitterly.

"I would rather have been without a fortune gained at such a price,"
answered Franklin coldly; "but I really believed Anne guiltless. She
defended her father, but I fancied, since she had helped him to escape,
that he had killed the poor girl."

"And he did," cried Giles. "I am sure he did."

"He had no motive."

"Oh yes, to get the money--the five thousand a year."

"You forget. By Miss Kent's death that came to me."

"Your brother would have found means to get it. I believe he will find
means yet."

"I don't understand you. Will you explain?"

Franklin seemed fairly puzzled by Giles' remarks, so the young man set
forth the theory he had formed about the murder. At first Mr. Franklin
smiled satirically; but after a time his face became grave, and he
seemed agitated. When Giles ended he walked the room in a state of
subdued irritation.

"What have I done to be so troubled with such a relative as Walter?" he
said aloud. "I believe you are right, Mr. Ware. He may attempt my life
to get the money; and as we are rather like one another in appearance he
may be able to pass himself off as me. Why, there was a woman here who
called herself Mrs. Benker. She insisted that I was called Wilson, under
which name she knew my brother Walter. So you must see how easily he
could impose on every one. I am dark and clean-shaven; he is red-haired
and bear