Romaine Heilger does indeed appear as a witness for the prosecution at the committal hearing, and Vole is sent for trial. In the intervening period, Mayherne tries to find evidence that will discredit Romaine, but he is unsuccessful until he receives a scrawled and badly spelt letter which directs him to call at an address in Stepney and ask for Miss Mogson if he wants evidence against the "painted foreign hussy". He does so, and in a reeking tenement slum meets a bent, middle-aged crone of a woman with terrible scars on her face caused by the throwing of sulphuric acid. This attack was carried out by a man by the name of Max with whom Romaine Heilger is now having an affair. Miss Mogson herself was involved with Max many years before, but Romaine took him away from her. Meyherne is passed a series of letters written by Romaine to Max, all dated, which prove that Vole is innocent and that Romaine is lying to be rid of him. Mayherne pays the crone twenty pounds for the letters, which are then read out at the trial. The case against Vole collapses and he is declared "Not Guilty". Mayherne is delighted at his success, but is suddenly stopped in his tracks when he remembers a curious habit of Romaine's in the witness box when she clenched and unclenched her right hand – a habit shared by Miss Mogson in Stepney.