Part 53 (1/2)

She backed her horse a few paces and waited. No one appeared to be about. The inn stood at the junction of five roads, commonly known as Five Lane Ends, and there was not another house within half a mile.

In a few minutes the shock-headed young man appeared with a pail, which he held under the horse's nose.

Madeline felt her heart beating rapidly. She had resolved on a bold stroke. Nothing less than a frontal attack. No flank movement would do in the present case. She would have to stagger him with the first blow.

”You are Timothy Polgarrow?” she questioned, looking down from her exalted position.

”Yes, miss, that's my name, at your service,” he answered, glibly and flippantly.

”I'm glad I've met you,” she said, quietly.

”Yes?” And he looked up with a light of surprise in his eyes.

”I want to ask you a question.”

”A dozen, if you like, miss. I'm always ready to oblige a lady.”

”Then you will tell me how much money Captain Tregony paid you to swear that Rufus Sterne was drunk?”

Had Madeline fired a revolver at him he could not have been more startled. He dropped the bucket, which fell with a rattle on the cobbles, and his freckled face grew ashen.

Madeline quickly followed the first blow with a second.

”Now, be careful what you say,” she went on. ”If you lie, it will be the worse for you. You know that you committed perjury, and that you are liable to a long period of imprisonment; but if you tell the truth, I will be very merciful.”

”Has he been blabbing?” he gasped, trembling in every limb.

”Don't trouble to ask questions,” she said. ”Your business is to answer them.”

Then he began to pluck up courage. ”n.o.body can prove nothing,” he said, insolently.

”There you are making a mistake,” she answered. ”It may be difficult to prove that you received money, but there will be no difficulty in proving that you committed perjury.”

”You mean that I'll get all the blame and he'll go scot free.”

”Exactly. The case against you is as clear as daylight.”

”Who said so?”

”I say so.”

”What have you found out?”

”That you swore falsely, and I cannot imagine that you would do it for nothing.”

”Look here,” he said, still trembling, ”you don't know nothing at all.

You're trying to gammon me, but I don't take on. Do you understand? I know how to keep my mouth shut as well as other people.”

”Very good. I came to you as a friend. If you like to risk the consequences of a trial for perjury, that's your look-out.”