presently to confide the strange particulars to my friend, but first I
was all anxiety to learn what evidence Marie had given; and that this
evidence, to which he had referred had done little more than to
increase Gatton's perplexity was clear enough from his expression.
Therefore:

"Tell me about Marie," I said.

Gatton smiled grimly, took a drink from his glass, and then:

"She began of course as I had anticipated, by denying all knowledge of
the matter, but recognizing that she was in a tight corner, she
presently changed her tactics, and although every available plan was
tried to induce her to change her ground, she afterwards stuck to the
extraordinary story which we first extracted from her. Briefly it was
this:

"The late Sir Marcus had been paying unwelcome attention to Miss
Merlin for a long time, and Marie had instructions that he was to be
discouraged as much as possible. In fact I am pleased to say that your
theory of Miss Merlin's ignorance respecting the murder plot is borne
out by the testimony of her maid. On several occasions, it appears,
when he sent his card to the dressing-room, Marie returned equivocal
messages and did not even inform her mistress of Sir Marcus's visit.
This had been going on for some time when one night whilst Miss Merlin
was on the stage a telephone call came for Marie and a certain
proposal was made to her.

"It was this: if on the following night Sir Marcus should present
himself she was to tell him that Miss Merlin would take supper in his