Page:The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.djvu/79

Rh "To see if he would stop asking Madge to marry him, and to tell him that she was engaged to me."

"And what did he say?"

"Laughed at me. Curse him."

"You had high words, evidently?"

Brian laughed bitterly.

"Yes, we had."

"Did anyone hear you?"

"The landlady did, I think. I saw her in the passage as I left the house."

"The prosecution will bring her forward as a witness."

"Very likely," indifferently.

"Did you say anything likely to criminate yourself!"

Fitzgerald turned away his head.

"Yes," he answered in a low voice, "I spoke very wildly—indeed, I did not know at the time what I said."

"Did you threaten him?"

"Yes, I did. I told him I would kill him if he persisted in his plan of marrying Madge."

"Ah! if the landlady can swear that she heard you say so, it will form a strong piece of evidence against you. As far as I can see, there is only one defence, and that is an easy one—you must prove an alibi."

No answer.

"You say you did not come back and get into the cab?" said Calton, watching the face of the other closely.

"No, it was some one else dressed like me."

"And you have no idea who it was?"

"No, I have not."

"Then, after you left Whyte and walked along Russell Street, where did you go?"

"I can't tell you."

"Were you intoxicated?"

"No!" indignantly.

"Then you remember?"

"Yes."

"And where were you?"

"I can't tell you."

"You refuse?"

"Yes, I do."

"Take time to consider You may have to pay a heavy price for your refusal."