It was not to be denied that the conversation between Miss Clyde and the journalist had opened in a highly dramatic fashion. Mexton, prompted by the recollection of Brent's revelation and accusation--had in sufficient plain language accused her of murdering Milly Lester. In answer to this Miss Clyde had placed in his hands a revolver which she admitted having obtained possession of on that fatal night. The unfortunate girl had been shot; Paul asked himself if the crime had been consummated¹ by the weapon which Miss Clyde had produced, and which, in a somewhat dazed fashion, he held in his hand.  
"No," said his hostess, reading his thoughts in his face; "Milly was not killed by a shot from that pistol. But she might have been."
 
"I don't understand what you mean," stammered² Paul.
 
"It is not difficult to understand," rejoined Miss Clyde, shrugging her fine shoulders. "I took that pistol from a would-be murderer."
 
"Mr. Lovel?"
 
An angry red flushed the hard face of the woman, and she made a gesture of contempt for the lack of imagination Paul displayed. "Mr. Lovel, indeed!" she said contemptuously. "He had as much to do with the crime as I had! No; I took that pistol from Dr. Lester."
 
"Lester! Then he is innocent!"
 
"Entirely³. He should not have been arrested."
 
"Then why did you not prevent his arrest by producing this revolver at the inquest?"
 
"Oh, I had my reasons for that," said Miss Clyde, with an emphatic⁴ nod; "these I will tell you later. In the meantime, Mr. Mexton, please to assure yourself that the revolver you hold in your hand is actually the property of Dr. Lester. Look at the silver plate on the butt⁵."
 
Paul did so, and on the small silver oval found the name "R. Lester" engraved⁶ in Gothic letters. Nodding in his turn, he replaced the weapon on the desk; and as it was loaded, he deduced from such fact another point in favour of Lester.
 
"I see there are cartridges⁷ in all six barrels!" she said quickly.
 
"Yes; Dr. Lester did not fire even one barrel; so you see he did not kill his daughter."
 
"Then who did?"
 
"My dear Mr. Mexton, I know no more than you do!" said Miss Clyde candidly⁸. "I see that from the evidence of Brent--a rascal⁹ whom I discharged from my employment--that you suspect me. Well," she laughed in an ironical¹⁰ manner, "I can clear myself; not only can I do so, but I can prove the innocence¹¹ of Dr. Lester."
 
"Will you do so to me?" asked Paul eagerly.
 
Miss Clyde looked him coolly up and down. "Really, Mr. Mexton, I do not see why I should," was her response; "you do not represent the law."
 
"Not officially. But Inspector¹² Drek has accepted my assistance."
 
"Has he? And why have you offered it?"
 
"Because I wish to save Dr. Lester from being judicially¹³ murdered."
 
"I think that lies in my province rather than in yours," said Miss Clyde, smiling; "but I suppose the real reason that you are acting¹⁴ as an amateur detective lies in the fact that you love Miss Link?"
 
Paul smiled also. "I can't say that I do," he replied; "we are more like brother and sister than anything else. But I don't deny that I am sorry for her on account of her loss."
 
"You need not be," retorted Miss Clyde with disdain¹⁵; "there was no love lost between Milly and Iris¹⁶; in fact, they disliked one another."
 
"Oh, I should not say that," protested Paul, shocked by her want of sentiment.
 
"Aye, but I shall say it! Milly was going to marry Mr. Herne, and Iris was in love with him; quite enough motive¹⁷ there for two women to fight."
 
"No doubt," rejoined Paul, with significance; "jealousy¹⁸ between women has caused many a crime."
 
"Is that a hit at me?" asked Miss Clyde, good-humouredly: "because, if it is, it falls short of the mark. You infer that I was jealous of that poor dead girl because Lucas Lovel made love to her."
 
"Report says so."
 
"Report says many things that are untrue," retorted Miss Clyde contemptuously; "but in this case the gossips were not altogether wrong. I love Mr. Lovel, as you know very well; as all the countryside knows. Why should I conceal¹⁹ my feelings? I have no one to think of but myself, and I can look after myself very well, I assure you. Lucas--I can call him so to you, Mr. Mexton, as this is a confidential²⁰ conversation--is a scamp, and a weak-minded fool; but I love him for all that. Queer, isn't it?"
 
Paul looked at the masculine strength of the woman's face, into her shrewd eyes, and at the firm set of her mouth. "It is queer," he admitted; "you do not look the sort of a woman to be attracted by a wastrel²¹ like Lovel."
 
"Nevertheless I am; by the law of contraries no doubt. Well, I admit that I was jealous of his preference for Milly Lester. Her beauty and fascinations²² of manner excited my envy; and as she had the whole neighbourhood at her feet, I grudged²³ that she should take my ewe-lamb."
 
"The whole neighbourhood!" echoed Paul.
 
"Well, Mr. Herne, Mr. Lovel, and Mr. Chaskin. The pick of the countryside."
 
"Nonsense! Mr. Chaskin did not love Milly!"
 
"There you are wrong," rejoined Miss Clyde drily. "He adored her, and only crushed down his passion because of his friendship for Herne. Oh, I know it for a fact. Mrs. Drass found it all out."
 
"She finds out everything!" said Paul tartly--"just like a social detective."
 
"She does," assented²⁴ Miss Clyde coolly; "but she is not omniscient²⁵, else she would know who killed poor Milly. I find Mrs. Drass very useful, I assure you, Mr. Mexton."
 
"I quite believe it. But to continue your confession²⁶."
 
"Oh, you need not dignify²⁷ my story by so great a title! I am not in the dock yet, Mr. Mexton! I assure you I shall prove my innocence to you very plainly. Where was I?"
 
"You were informing me that Mr. Chaskin was in love with poor Milly."
 
"Ah! that is a side issue. Mr. Lovel was also in love with the unfortunate girl, and I did not approve of his passion, as I wanted him for myself."
 
"You were jealous?" said Mexton, more plainspoken than polite.
 
"I was," said Miss Clyde calmly; "the most unromantic of women have their vein²⁸ of sentiment--their passion. Lucas is my passion, and I love him dearl............