Part 41 (1/2)
”What is there to be feared?” he asked her quietly
She hesitated
”You are my friend,” she said, ”if any one is I think that I will tell you The man Hill has persecuted land He claie certificate He shot at istrates bound him over to keep the peace I found him once in my rooht Mr Brendon and I returned froh the lungs In the grate were soe certificate We fetched the doctor and the police From the first I could see that neither believedshot the man”
”But that is ridiculous!” he exclaihed a little bitterly
”I am under police surveillance,” she said ”So is Mr Brendon”
”But there is not a shadow of evidence against you,” he objected ”The man alone could supply any, and if he recovers sufficiently to say anything, what he would say would exonerate you”
”Yes”
There was a moment's silence Anna's face was half turned from him, but her expression, and the tone of her monosyllable puzzled him He stepped quickly towards her Her eyes see backwards
She distinctly shi+vered as he forced her to look at him He was bewildered
”Anna!” he exclaimed hoarsely ”Look at me What is it? Good God!”
An unhappy little sether and leaned forward in her chair, gazing steadily into the fire
”I think,” she said, ”that I will tell you everything I must tell somebody--and you would understand”
”I am your friend,” he said slowly, ”whatever you may have to tell me
You can trust rave”
”Not long ago,” she said, ”you left e of identities between Annabel andtrouble It has”
”Yes”
”Annabel's real reason for wishi+ng to leave Paris, the real reason she hall, was because of a very foolish thing which she did It was--in connection with this man Hill He personated over there a millionaire nao through soe with him at the Embassy”
”Where?” Courtlaw asked quickly
”In Paris”
Courtlaw seeed his mind however, and simply motioned to her to proceed
”Then there was a motor accident only an hour or so after this ceremony, and Hill was reported to be killed Annabel believed it, caland and ed to----”
”Yes, yes, I understand that,” Courtlaw interrupted ”But about last night”
”Annabel knehere I lived,” Anna continued slowly ”She has been to s two ht I picked up her handkerchief on the floor”
”You mean--you think----”