“That is natural.  A sister is a sister however much one may have quarrelled.  But why should this death stop our marriage?”

“I know no more than you do.  Here is mother.  Ask her yourself.”

It was indeed Mrs. Octagon who entered the room.  She looked very pale, but otherwise was perfectly composed.  In silence she gave her hand to Cuthbert, and kept her black eyes fixed steadily on his face.  The young man flushed and turned away, whereat Mrs. Octagon sighed.  Juliet broke an embarrassed silence.

“Mother,” she said, “I have told Cuthbert what you said.”

“Then you had no right to,” said Mrs. Octagon sternly.

“Oh, I think she had,” said Mallow, rather annoyed.  “Seeing you hint that this crime will stop our marriage.”

Mrs. Octagon did not answer.  “Is your uncle in town?” she asked.

“Yes.  He arrived from the continent a day or two ago.”

“I thought so,” she said, half to herself, and strove to repress her agitation.  “Mr. Mallow, my daughter can’t marry you.”

“Why not?  Give your reason.”

“I have no reason to give.”

“But you must.  Is it on account of this murder?”

“It is.  I told Juliet so.  But I cannot explain.”

The lovers looked at one another in a dazed fashion.  The woman’s objection seemed to be senseless.  “Surely you don’t think Cuthbert killed Aunt Selina?” said Juliet, laughing in a forced manner.

“No.  I don’t suspect him.”

“Then whom do you suspect?” demanded Mallow.

“That I decline to say.”

“Will you decline to say it to the police?”

Mrs. Octagon stepped back a pace.  “Yes, I should,” she faltered.

Cuthbert Mallow looked at her, wondering why she was so agitated, and Juliet stole her hand into his.  Then he addressed her seriously.

“Mrs. Octagon,” he said, “your remark about my uncle leads me to think you suspect him.”

“No I don’t.  But you can’t marry Juliet on account of this crime.”

“Then you hear me,” said Mallow, driven into a corner, “from this moment I devote myself to finding out who killed your unfortunate sister.  When the assassin is discovered you may consent to our marriage.”

But he spoke to empty air.  Mrs. Octagon had left the room, almost before the first words left his mouth.

CHAPTER V

LORD CARANBY’S ROMANCE

Cuthbert was considerably perplexed by the attitude of Juliet’s mother.  She had always been more than kind to him.  On the announcement that he wished to marry her daughter, she had expressed herself well pleased, and during the engagement, which had lasted some six months, she had received him as Juliet’s intended husband, with almost ostentatious delight.  Now, for some inexplicable reason, she suddenly changed her mind and declined to explain.  But rack his brains as he might, Cuthbert could not see how the death of a sister she had quarrelled with, and to whom she had been a stranger for so long, could affect the engagement.