“Oh,” she replied, with a short laugh, “I’ll kiss you if you like.”

“There is no need to go so far.  I am sorry for you.”

“And I hate you—­hate you!  Leave me now at least.  You can come to-morrow, and I’ll consent publicly to the marriage.  But I hope you will both be miserable.  Juliet does not love me or she would despise you.  I wish you had died along with your uncle.”

She was becoming so wild in her looks that Cuthbert thought it best to leave the room.  The key was in the door, so he departed, quite sure that Mrs. Octagon, to avoid scandal about her shady doings, would be most agreeable towards him in public, however much of a demon she might be in private.  Thus ended the interview.

Next morning Mallow drove to Jennings and related everything, including the confession of Caranby regarding the accident, and added details of the interview with Mrs. Octagon.  Jennings listened, astonished.

“I am glad you told me,” he said, “of course I don’t want you to make all this public.  The general impression is the same as that of Mrs. Octagon, that Maraquito murdered Miss Loach.  It need not be known that Emilia was masquerading under a false name.  She need not be brought into the case at all.  What a wonderful case, Mallow.”

Cuthbert assented.  “It’s more like fiction than fact.”

“Fact is always like fiction,” said Jennings epigrammatically, “however, we’ve got a confession from Clancy about the other factories.  The whole gang will be caught sooner or later.  And, by the way, Mallow, on second thoughts, I think it will be best to state the real name of Emilia.”

“I think so too.  If she is pilloried as Miss Loach, everyone will know that she is the aunt of Juliet.  Tell the truth, Jennings.”

“We’ll tell everything, save that Lord Caranby inadvertently murdered that woman.  She was the fatal woman—­”

“No,” said the new Lord Caranby, “Mrs. Octagon is the fatal woman.  She was at the bottom of everything.”

“And has been rewarded with six thousand a year.  I don’t suppose the State can seize that money.  However, I’ll see.  I should like to punish Isabella Octagon in some way.  And Susan Grant?”

“You can give her a thousand pounds on my behalf, and she can marry her baker.  Then there’s Mrs. Barnes—­Mrs. Pill that was.  She is quite innocent.  Thomas her husband will be punished, so you had better tell her, I’ll provide for her.  As to yourself—­”

“That’s all right, Mallow, this coining case means a rise of salary.”

“All the same, I intend to give you a few thousands on behalf of myself and Juliet.  Without you I would probably have been accused of the crime.  And, in any case, things would have been awkward.  There might have been a scandal.”

“There won’t be one now,” said Jennings.  “I’ll settle everything.  Mrs. Octagon will go to the States with that young cub, and you can make Miss Saxon Lady Caranby.  It is good of you giving me a reward.  I can now marry Peggy.”