“But why did Emilia take Selina’s name and—­”

“Because Emilia was in danger of being arrested along with her mother and brother for coining.  You could not have saved her.  The accident of Selina’s death—­”

“The murder of Selina, you mean.”

Maraquito made a gesture of indifference.  “Call it what you like.  It happened opportunely however.  It gave Emilia safety, and by threatening to denounce Isabella, she stopped her from marrying you.”

Caranby looked up.  “Ah!  Now I see why Isabella left me alone.  She made one attempt, however.”

“And did not succeed in inducing you to marry her.  But had she succeeded, Emilia would have stopped the marriage.  Emilia loved you.”

“No,” said Caranby coldly, “she loved my title and my name and wealth.  I never loved her nor she me.  She exercised a kind of hypnotic influence over me, and I dare say I would have married her.  But her heart I am sure was always in the coining business.”

“You are quite right,” said Maraquito, looking keenly at him, “though I can’t guess how you came to think so, seeing you thought my aunt dead.  Yes, she loved coining.  When I grew up she sent for me and for Daniel Saul—­”

“Who is he?  Another of your precious family.”

“A distant cousin.  You know him best as Hale the lawyer.”

“Oh, indeed,” said Caranby, considerably surprised, “and what did Emilia do with you two?”

“She got us to help her to coin.  We made use of your house.  I need not tell you how we dug the tunnel and arranged the factory.  Emilia knew that you would not disturb the house—­”

“I was a sentimental fool.  If I had been wiser you would not have carried on your wickedness for so long.”

“Oh, we have other factories,” said Maraquito coolly, “Jennings has not discovered everything.  But your house was certainly an ideal place.  I can’t understand how Jennings learned about the secret—­”

“The entrance.  He learned that from plans left by Maxwell who designed the same.  Emilia poisoned him.”

“She did—­to preserve her secret.  Hale and I thought it was unwise; he would have joined us.  But it was all for the best.”

“Apparently you think so,” returned Caranby, looking at her with abhorrence, “seeing you poisoned Tyke in the same way.”

“Hale did that and I agreed.  It was necessary,” said the woman coldly, “but you appear to know all about the matter.”

“Jennings has told me everything.  Even to the fact, which he learned from Hale that you rang that bell.”

“I did.  I knew Juliet Saxon was in the room, and I wished to get her arrested.  She left the house and I rang the bell as soon as I could get away from Hale, who did not wish me to draw attention to the murder.  But Juliet was too far away by that time to be caught.”

“Why did you wish to hang the poor girl?”