A strange trembling seized me.  It was in my heart to rush forward and clasp him to my breast.  Murderer or no murderer, his look, his voice, cut me sharply to the heart.  Words trembled on the tip of my tongue:  “Oh, Jack, I love you!” But with a violent effort, I repressed them sternly.  This horrible revulsion seemed to tear me in two.  I loved him so much.  Though till the moment of the discovery, I never quite realised how deeply I loved him.

“Courtenay Ivor,” I said slowly, steeling myself once more for a hard effort, “I knew who you were at once when I saw you poise yourself on the parapet.  Once before in my life I saw you like that, and the picture it produced has burned itself into the very fibre and marrow of my being.  As long as I live, I can never get rid of it.  It was when you leapt from the window at The Grange, at Woodbury, after murdering my father!”

He started once more.

“Una,” he said solemnly, in a very clear voice, “there’s some terrible error somewhere.  You’re utterly mistaken about what took place that night.  But oh, great heavens! how am I ever to explain the misconception to you?  If you still think thus, it would be cruel to undeceive you.  I daren’t tell you the whole truth.  It would kill you!  It would kill you!”

I drew myself up like a pillar of ice.

“Go on,” I said, in a hard voice; for I saw he had something to say.  “Don’t mind for my heart.  Tell me the truth.  I can stand it.”

He hesitated for a minute or two.

“I can’t!” he cried huskily.  “Dear Una, don’t ask me!  Won’t you trust me, without?  Won’t you believe me when I tell you, I never did it?”

“No, I can’t,” I answered with sullen resolution, though my eyes belied my words.  “I can’t disbelieve the evidence of my own senses.  I saw you escape that night.  I see you still.  I’ve seen you for years.  I know it was you, and you only, who did it!”

He flung himself down in a chair, and let his arms drop listlessly.

“Oh! what can I ever do to disillusion you?” he cried in despair.  “Oh! what can I ever do?  This is too, too terrible!”

I moved towards the door.

“I’m going,” I said, with a gulp.  “You’ve deceived me, Jack.  You’ve lied to me.  You have given me feigned names.  You have decoyed me to your house under false pretences.  And I recognise you now.  I know you in all your baseness.  You’re my father’s murderer!  Don’t hope to escape by playing on my feelings.  I’d deserve to be murdered myself, if I could act like that!  I’m on my way to the police-office, to give you in custody on the charge of murdering Vivian Callingham at Woodbury!”

He jumped up again, all anxiety.

“Oh, no, you mustn’t walk!” he cried, laying his hand upon my arm.  “Give me up, if you like; but wait till the buggy comes back, and Elsie’ll drive you round with me.  You’re not fit to go a step as you are at present...  Oh! what shall I ever do, though.  You’re so weak and ill.  Elsie’ll never allow it.”