Basil leaped from his chair with great indignation.  “I did not.  How dare you accuse me?” he panted.

“Because I have proofs.”

“Proofs?” Basil dropped back as though he had been shot.

“Yes.  I learned from my man that you took the bowie knife which used to hang on the wall yonder.  He saw you take it, and thought you had received my permission.  You went to the Marlow Theatre with your sister.  You left her in the box and went out after eight o’clock.  You went to Rexton to Rose Cottage.  After Clancy left the house your aunt admitted you and you killed her—­”

“I swear I did not!” said Basil, perfectly white and trembling.

“You did, you liar!  Juliet followed you to the cottage.”

“Juliet?  She did not know I had gone.”

“Ah! you see, you were there.  Yes, she said she went in order to try and make it up between your aunt and you.  But I believe now she went to see if you were committing a crime.  I am not aware how much Juliet knows of your wickedness, Basil, but—­”

“She knows only about the forgery.  I was not at the cottage.”

Mallow made a weary gesture.  “Why do you tell these falsehoods?” he said with scorn.  “Juliet entered the cottage by means of her latch-key.  She found Miss Loach dead and the knife on the floor.  You dropped it there.  She came out and saw a man of my height—­which you are, and of my appearance (you are not unlike me at a distance) climbing the wall into the park.  He had on alight overcoat—­my overcoat.  Juliet thought I was the man.  I did not say no.  But the moment she mentioned the coat I knew it was you.  You borrowed the coat from me, and returned it the other day.  Now then—­”

“Stop! stop!” cried Basil, rising with pale lips and shaking hands, “I admit that I went to Rexton on that night, but I swear I am innocent.”

“Pah!” cried Mallow, thinking this was another lie, and a weak one too.

Basil seized him by the arm.  “Mallow, I swear by all that I hold most sacred that I did not kill Aunt Selina.  I own I took the knife.  I wished to frighten her into giving me money.  I left the theatre in order to go to Rexton.  I thought I might be spotted if I came by the lane.  I climbed the wall of the park on the other side after nine, some time after nine.  I was crossing when a man chased me.  I don’t know who it was.  I could not see in the bushes, and the night was rather dark at the moment, though clear later.  I dropped the knife, it fell out of my pocket, and I scrambled over the wall and bolted.”

“Then how did Juliet see you shortly before eleven?”

“I came back for the knife.  I thought it might be traced to you and that you might get into trouble.  Really I did,” said Basil, seeing Mallow make a gesture of dissent.  “I came back by the railway path, and along by the corn.  Where Juliet could have been, I don’t know.  I climbed the wall and crossed the park.  I could not find the knife where I thought I had dropped it, near the house.  I then climbed the opposite wall and got away home.  Next day I heard of the death and went down to look for the knife again.  I never thought she had been killed with that knife, as no weapon was found.  Juliet said nothing to me about the matter—­”