Edgar Wallace

“ He puffed away at his cigar for five minutes, and there was no sound but the tick of a French clock on the mantelpiece.
“There's a lot of truth in what you say, José.”
The girl started, and stared at him. Evidently he was unconscious of his lapse, and he went on.
“We have known the difficulties all along, ever since we were fairly certain that we had the gang at our mercy. We've been hoping against hope to get the right kind of evidence, but so far the only person who is immediately under suspicion—is you.” ”

“ For the moment she did not understand, and then with a little “Oh!” she stepped forward and laid both her hands on his arm, lifting her pale face to his.
“You'll do nothing of the kind,” she said in agitation. “Do you hear? I won't have you do it! I would rather stand the trial myself; I would rather my father took the responsibility, than that you should do so wicked a thing.” ”

“ It must have been built under the direction of the professor or of his fellow conspirators, and none but foreign workmen, who were chosen the purpose, were employed. I have only learned this since—since I took the trouble to inquire.”
“Have you any idea how his affairs stand?” asked Peter gently, and it pained him to see the girl wince,
“I don't think that is a matter for anxiety,” she said. “I do know that daddy is enormously rich. When mother died she left me a million dollars, which is in the hands of trustees, so I am not worrying about the finances of the bank. ”

“ He would have thrown the cigar in the fireplace but she stopped him with a gesture.
“Please smoke,” she said. “I should have asked you when you came in.”
Two curiously unhappy figures they were—Peter, hunched up over the fire on one side, the girl with her chin on her hands on the other—and the thoughts of both followed identical lines.
“There's a lot in what you say, Miss Bertram,” he said at last, “and that's just the thing that has been worrying us. It is an amazing fact that up till now we have no evidence. Nobody saw Mrs. Laste shot ”