Who knows?

　　"No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom.""But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman'sinstincts are. I know that he has done no harm and that you will besorry for having acted so harshly."

　　"Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?"

　　"Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you shouldsuspect him."

　　"How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with thecoronet in his hand?"

　　"Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do takemy word for it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and say nomore. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in prison!""I shall never let it drop until the gems are found-never, Mary!Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences tome. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman downfrom London to inquire more deeply into it."

　　"This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me.

　　"No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round in thestable lane now."

　　"The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can he hopeto find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, that you willsucceed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth. that my cousinArthur is innocent of this crime."

　　"I fully share your opinion, and I trust, with you, that we mayprove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the snowfrom his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing Miss MaryHolder. Might I ask you a question or two?"

　　"Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up.""You heard nothing yourself last night?"

　　"Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard that,and I came down."

　　"You shut up the windows and doors the night before. Did youfasten all the windows?"