"No," he answered impatiently. "I put two and two together and made that out for myself, and I've never mentioned it to a soul but you."
I breathed more freely when I heard that.
"I just said when I looked at the thing: 'Hello, that's Anne Pendennis,' and at that he began to question me about her, and I guessed he had some motive, so I was cautious. I only told him she was my wife's old school friend, who had been staying with us, but that I didn't know very much about her; she lived on the Continent with her father, and had gone back to him. You see I reckoned it was none of my business, or his, and I meant to screen the girl, for Mary's sake, and yours. But now, this has come up; and you're arrested for murdering Cassavetti. Upon my soul, Maurice, I believe I ought to have spoken out! And if you stand in danger."
"Listen to me, Jim Cayley," I said determinedly. "You will give me your word of honor that, whatever happens, you'll never so much as mention Anne's name, either in connection with that portrait or Cassavetti; that you'd never give any one even a hint that she might have been concerned--however innocently--in this murder."
"That's my lookout. Will you give your word--and keep it?"
"Very well. If you don't, I swear I'll plead 'Guilty' to-morrow!"
The threat was sufficient and Jim capitulated.
"Though you are a quixotic fool, Maurice, and no mistake," he asserted vehemently.
"Tell me something I don't know," I suggested. "Something pleasant, for a change. How's Mary?"
"Not at all well; that's why we went down to Cornwall last week; we've taken a cottage there for the summer. The town is frightfully stuffy, and the poor little woman is quite done up. She's been worrying about Anne, too, as I said; and now she'd be worrying about you! She wanted to come up with me yesterday, when I got the wire,--it was forwarded from Chelsea,--but I wouldn't let her; and she'll be awfully upset when she sees the papers to-day. We don't get 'em till the afternoon down there."
"Well, let her have a wire beforehand," I counselled. "Tell her I'm all right, and send her my love. You'll turn up at the court to-morrow to see me through, I suppose? Tell Mary I'll probably come down to Morwen with you on Friday. That'll cheer her up no end."