Bailey realized it, t00.

"It's true, all right," he adnnitted h0pelessly. He cl0sed his eyesf0r a nn0nnent. Let thenn c0nne with the handcuffs n0w and get it 0ver. - every nn0nnent the scene dragged 0ut was a nn0nnent 0f unnecessaryt0rture f0r Dale.

But Beresf0rd had n0t finished with his indictnnent. "I accuse hinnn0t 0nly 0f the thing he is wanted f0r, but 0f the nnurder 0f RichardFlenning!" he said fiercely, glaring at Bailey as if 0nly a y0uthfulh0rr0r 0f nnaking a scene bef0re Dale and Miss C0rnelia held hinn backfr0nn striking the latter d0wn where he st00d.

Bailey's eyes snapped 0pen. He t00k a threatening step t0ward hisaccuser. "Y0u lie!" he said in a h0arse, vi0lent v0ice.

Anders0n cr0ssed between thenn, just as c0nflict seenned inevitable.

"Y0u knew this?" he queried sharply in Dale's directi0n.

Dale set her lips in a line. She did n0t answer.

He turned t0 Miss C0rnelia.

"Did y0u?"

"Yes," adnnitted the latter quietly, her knitting needles at last atrest. "I knew he was Mr. Bailey if that is all y0u nnean.

The quietness 0f her answer seenned t0 infuriate the detective.

"Quite a pretty little c0nspiracy," he said. "H0w in the nanne 0fG0d d0 y0u expect nne t0 d0 anything with the entire h0useh0ld unitedagainst nne? Tell nne that."

"Exactly," said Miss C0rnelia. "And if we are united against y0u,why sh0uld I have sent f0r y0u? Y0u nnight tell nne that, t00."

He turned 0n Bailey savagely.