last which you saw of him?'

"A terrible change came over the woman's face as I asked the question.
Her features turned perfectly livid. It was some seconds before she
could get out the single word 'Yes'--and when it did come it was in a
husky unnatural tone.

"There was silence for a moment, and then the daughter spoke in a calm
clear voice.

"'No good can ever come of falsehood, mother,' she said. 'Let us be
frank with this gentleman. We _did_ see Mr. Drebber again.'

"'God forgive you!' cried Madame Charpentier, throwing up her hands and
sinking back in her chair. 'You have murdered your brother.'

"'Arthur would rather that we spoke the truth,' the girl answered
firmly.

"'You had best tell me all about it now,' I said. 'Half-confidences are
worse than none. Besides, you do not know how much we know of it.'

"'On your head be it, Alice!' cried her mother; and then, turning to me,
'I will tell you all, sir. Do not imagine that my agitation on behalf
of my son arises from any fear lest he should have had a hand in this
terrible affair. He is utterly innocent of it. My dread is, however,
that in your eyes and in the eyes of others he may appear to be
compromised. That however is surely impossible. His high character, his
profession, his antecedents would all forbid it.'

"'Your best way is to make a clean breast of the facts,' I answered.
'Depend upon it, if your son is innocent he will be none the worse.'

"'Perhaps, Alice, you had better leave us together,' she said, and her
daughter withdrew. 'Now, sir,' she continued, 'I had no intention of
telling you all this, but since my poor daughter has disclosed it I
have no alternative. Having once decided to speak, I will tell you all
without omitting any particular.'

"'It is your wisest course,' said I.

"'Mr. Drebber has been with us nearly three weeks. He and his secretary,
Mr. Stangerson, had been travelling on the Continent. I noticed a
"Copenhagen" label upon each of their trunks, showing that that had been
their last stopping place. Stangerson was a quiet reserved man, but his
employer, I am sorry to say, was far otherwise. He was coarse in his
habits and brutish in his ways. The very night of his arrival he became
very much the worse for drink, and, indeed, after twelve o'clock in the
day he could hardly ever be said to be sober. His manners towards the
maid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar. Worst of all, he
speedily assumed the same attit