question," Violet persisted hotly. "Why did
you pursue a course which may very likely get the girl into trouble? If
you did it to save Mr. Chermside from unpleasantness your motive was all
right, though I should have thought that a man of the world would have
known that your action was very likely to have the opposite effect. If
the police had been informed at once of this appointment on the marsh
they would have laughed at the idea of a gentleman in Mr. Chermside's
position having anything to do with the crime. But now, when they are
informed of it, they will probably attach an exaggerated importance to
the incident, and worry for explanations."

Travers Nugent sighed the sigh of the man who had been misunderstood. "I
am glad that you give me credit for having acted from loyalty to my
friend, even if you accuse me of folly," he replied.

"Why did you commit that folly?" demanded Violet, tapping her dainty
shoe in imperious insistence.

The answer came as though dragged out by force and in the face of better
judgment. "You leave me no option," said Nugent slowly, waving his soft
white hand in a deprecatory gesture. "I took the course I did--that of
persuading Louise Aubin not to rush off to the police--because--well,
because----" He stopped abruptly, and then added with a strained little
laugh, "I find this a difficult thing to say, Miss Maynard."

"I am waiting for you to say it," came Violet's inexorable rejoinder.

"Well, then, has it not occurred to you that if Chermside had wanted his
appointment with Levison to be known to the police he would himself have
informed them of it, whereas, though he was called as a witness at the
inquest, he preserved silence about it?"

Violet Maynard was a beautiful woman, and she had never looked more
beautiful than when she rose, majestic in her wrath, to champion the man
she loved.

"Mr. Nugent," she suppressed her voice with an effort, "that implies
doubt--almost accusation. I am ashamed of you. How dare you think such
an impossible thing--to say nothing of putting it into words, to me of
all people, who am his affianced wife!"

Nugent bowed as before an offended goddess, and a little flush came into
his face--an unusual phenomenon in one whose emotions were so well
controlled. "I somehow seem not to be able to express myself clearly
to-night," he murmured plaintively. "You must forgive me if I point out
that the suggestion--the perfectly horrible suggestion--came from yo