“She did on that night.”

“No.  Miss Loach—­I mean Emilia—­never came back.  We became alarmed, as we knew people had been round the house of late—­”

“Mr. Mallow—­”

“Yes, the fool.  We knew he had come prowling after ghosts.  But he found nothing.  Well, I—­” here Hale’s voice died away.  The doctor gave him some more brandy and looked significantly at Jennings.

“Get him to tell all at once,” he whispered, “he’s going.”

“Yes, I’m going,” murmured Hale.  “I don’t mind, though I am sorry to leave Maraquito.  Well,” he added, in a stronger voice.  “I went out to see what was up.  We found Emilia lying dead near the tree.  She had been stabbed to the heart.  A bowie knife was near.  In great alarm I got Maraquito to come out, as the body could not be left there.  We dropped it down the tree-trunk and got it into the factory.  Then we wondered what was to be done.  Maraquito suggested we should take it back to the sitting-room, and then, people being ignorant of the passage, no one would know how Emilia had met with her death.  I thought there was nothing else to be done.  We carried the body through the passage and placed it in the chair.  I arranged the cards on the lap, knowing the servant had seen Emilia in that position, and that it would still further throw prying people”—­here Hale glanced at Jennings—­ “off the scent.  Hardly had we arranged this and closed the floor, over us when we heard that someone was in the room.  It was a woman, and we heard her speaking to the corpse, ignorant that the woman was dead.  Then we heard a suppressed shriek.  We guessed it was a woman, at least I did, but Maraquito was quicker and knew more.  She said it was Miss Saxon, and at once became anxious to fix the blame on her.  But I was afraid lest things should be discovered, so I dragged Maraquito back to the factory.  I believe Miss Saxon found the knife and then ran out, being afraid lest she should be discovered and accused.  This was what Maraquito wanted.  She suddenly escaped from me and ran back to the secret entrance.  By shifting the floor a little she saw into the room.  It was then eleven.  She saw also that the knife was gone, and it struck her that Miss Saxon could not be far off.”

“She was not,” said Jennings, “she was hidden in the field of corn.”

“Ah.  I thought so.  Well, Maraquito fancied that if she was arrested with the knife before she could leave the neighborhood she would be charged with the murder.”

“But would Maraquito have let her suffer?” asked Jennings, horrified.

“Of course she would,” said Hale weakly, “she hated Miss Saxon because she was engaged to Mallow, the fool.  To get her caught, Maraquito jumped up into the sitting-room and rang the bell.”

“At eleven o’clock?”