As Mrs. Vand refused to speak, there was little use for Bella to remain in the hut. The girl was sick and faint with all she had gone through, and wished to get home to rest. Cyril also was anxious to follow Inglis and his officers to the -house to see what had been discovered likely to prove the truth of Mrs. Vand's statements. But before going, Bella made a last attempt to induce her presumed aunt to confess all in detail. "It's your sole chance of getting out of this trouble," said Bella, who was now sorry to see her enemy brought so low.  
"I don't care if I get out of the trouble, or if I do not," said Mrs. Vand wearily. "Henry is dead, just as we were on the eve of happiness, so I don't much care what becomes of me."
 
"Could you have been happy in America knowing your husband to be a murderer?" asked Cyril, skeptically.
 
"Certainly," returned the woman with great composure. "I knew all along that Henry had struck the blow; but I daresay Jabez him into doing so, as poor Henry was so good and weak."
 
"Weak!" echoed Cyril, remembering all. "He was not very weak to kill an active man like Captain Huxham, and a strong negro such as Durgo was."
 
"Ah!" said Mrs. Vand , and contradicting herself in a truly feminine way, "Henry was a man—none of your weaklings. If we had only escaped with those"—she stared hard at the black bag which contained the jewels—"but it's no use now. Everything is at an end, and Bella is glad."
 
"No, I am not, Aunt Rosamund——"
 
"I am not your aunt; I don't wish to be your aunt."
 
"All the same, I am very sorry for you," said Bella, with the tears in her eyes, "and if I can do anything to help you let me know. Good-bye, aunt, and may God watch over you." She and kissed the lined forehead.
 
"Don't you believe that I killed Jabez?" Mrs. Vand, somewhat touched.
 
"No," said Bella quietly. "I believe what you say. Henry killed Captain Huxham, and like a true wife you held your tongue to save him. I should have done exactly the same had Cyril been guilty."
 
"You're a good girl, Bella. I'm sorry I was so hard on you. I don't suppose there's much happiness left me in this life, now that Henry is dead. But I shall repay you for those kind words. There! there! Don't kiss me again. I have been mistaken in you. Good-bye," and Mrs. Vand, lying down on the floor in an utter state of despair, turned her face to the wall.
 
Bella had to leave her in this unsatisfactory condition, as there was no chance of taking her home to Miss Ankers' cottage. Dutton still watched by the door, and probably had overheard all that she had confessed, even though she had not been so as she should have been. But she had quite sufficient to ensure her arrest as an after the fact, so it was not likely that Dutton would permit her to leave the hut until he received orders from his superior. Under the circumstances there was nothing to be done, but for the young people to go, which they accordingly did. Granny Tunks flung a curse after them as they passed out into the night, and flung also a burning sod to the curse.
 
"Old devil!" said Cyril, comforting Bella, who was crying. "Dutton, lend me your lantern, as the path along the channel is dangerous."
 
Dutton, having received five shillings, made no objection to this, provided he got back his bullseye later in the night. Cyril promised to return it when he came back to the hut with Inglis, and then, taking Bella's arm he led her carefully along the slippery path. The storm had passed and the wind had dropped, but the clouds were still thick enough to envelope the earth in darkness. They picked their footsteps carefully, until they came to the foot of the corn-path. Here they halted.
 
"How are we to get across, Cyril?" asked the girl, shivering.
 
Lister groped in the corn wherein Durgo had flung the , and soon recovered these. With the aid of Bella he them again on the tressels sunk in the mud, and the two passed dry-shod over the channel. In walking to Marshely the young man gave Bella the bag. "Take this, dear," he said. "The jewels are in it. Be careful of them."
 
"Oh, Cyril," said the girl, awestruck, "did Mrs. Vand steal them?"
 
"Yes, and in spite of what she says I believe she and Henry murdered your father—I mean Captain Huxham—for the sake of the jewels. They were in this bag, marked with the initials 'M. F.'—your father's initials."
 
"Just as Granny saw it in her trance."
 
"Very nearly, only she called the bag—and it is a bag, as you see—a portmanteau. Either Granny or the unseen are at fault. But it matters little since the jewels are now in your possession. Keep them carefully."
 
"But Cyril," said Bella, as they drew near the cottage, "does it seem right for us to keep jewels that already have caused two murders? My father was killed because of these by Captain Huxham, and he met with the same fate for probably the same reason."
 
"I daresay in ages past, many and many a wicked deed has been committed for the sake of these jewels. Do you remember what you heard Granny say in her trance?—that a Roman empress had secured the jewels by crime. My dear girl, all jewels have a history more or less, and if one feared the sort of thing you mention, not a woman would wear jewels. No, dear: God has given you this fortune, and you have every right to make use of it. Here's the door, and by the light in the window I see that Miss Ankers is sitting up."
 
"I promised to tell her why I went out," said Bella, kissing her lover, "so, as she is our good friend; she must know all."
 
"Just as you please: tell her everything from the beginning. I have to tell Inglis what I know shortly."
 
"Will you tell him about your father?" asked Bella faintly.
 
Lister hesitated. "I must," he said at length with a effort, "for if I do not Luke Tunks may be caught, and he will tell."
 
"Tell what?"
 
"I don't know: God only knows what happened when Luke peeped through that window. From the presence of the knife on the floor, and the fact that Vand murdered Huxham, I am inclined to believe that Huxham stabbed my father with that knife."
 
Bella caught his sleeve. "If so where did Captain, Huxham hide the body?"
 
Cyril removed her arm gently, although he shivered. "We have had enough of these horrors for one night, dear," he said, kissing her. "Go inside and talk to Miss Ankers. To-morrow I'll come and see you."
 
"What are you about to do, Cyril?"
 
"I am returning to the Manor-house, and then shall go to Granny's hut with Inglis. There must be an end to all this mystery to-night. Bella"—he turned suddenly—"if it is proved that my father is alive, will you still marry me? Think of the disgrace he has brought on me."
 
"Why? In any case your father didn't murder Captain Huxham."
 
"No; his hands are free from blood in that respect. But this case will have to be inquired into, and much about my father may come out. His doings were shady. As I told you, I had to borrow one thousand pounds to buy back a cheque for that amount which he had forged in the name of an old college friend. Then there's the gun-running in Nigeria, and all manner of doubtful means by which he made his money. Bella, if you marry me, you marry a man with a soiled name."
 
Her arms were round him on the instant. "You have not soiled it," she whispered, "and that is enough for me."
 
Cyril's lips met hers in a kiss, and, glowing with happiness, she ran into Dora's little garden as the door opened. Miss Ankers, hearing voices at this late hour—for it was nearly midnight—was looking out to see what was the matter. Cyril watched her admit Bella, and then turned away with a sigh. He intended to confess much about his father to Inglis, which he would much rather have kept ; but under the circumstances there was no other way of settling matters. Since the death of Captain Huxham, these had been in a very bad way.
 
Very shortly the young man arrived at the Manor-house, and found a on guard at the door. But he was admitted the moment the man recognised him. It appeared that Inglis had been expecting him for some time. Lister walked into the study, wherein the inspector had established himself, and explained that he had been escorting Miss Huxham home.
 
"The poor girl is quite worn out," said Cyril, seating himself with an air of relief, for he also was extremely tired.
 
"No wonder," replied the inspector. "Is Dutton on guard?"
 
"Yes. Mrs. Vand and the old woman and the girl are all safe."
 
"I have sent along another man," said Inglis nodding, "so that there may be no chance of the three escaping. The house was locked up when we came here, Mr. Lister, and only by breaking a window could we enter. Look at this, sir"—and the inspector to a small lozenge- in the , which had been broken.
 
"Well," said Cyril, after a pause.
 
"Through that broken pane Luke Tunks saw everything which took place in this study on the night of the murder."
 
Cyril felt his hair rise, and he thought of his father's probable danger, but he calmed down on reflecting that at least Edwin Lister was not guilty of the crime. "How do you know?" he with difficulty.
 
"We have caught Luke, and he will be here in a moment or so to confess."
 
Cyril looked surprised. "How did you catch him?"
 
"He ran out of the hut when we crossed the channel, and concealed himself in the corn. Then, remembering that the Manor-house was he fetched a circle round the fields and came here. When we got into the house we found him nearly crazy with fear; he took us for ghosts."
 
"Where is he now?"
 
"In the kitchen guarded by a couple of men. He refused to confess, and I gave him an hour to make up his mind. Meanwhile, we have searched the house and have found that everything valuable more or less is gone. Some things left behind have been packed in boxes. I suppose the Vands hoped to escape and then get their goods later. But they carried off what they could."
 
"They intended to go to America," said Cyril, "the woman explained. She also declared that her husband murdered Captain Huxham."
 
"I expect she had a hand in it herself."
 
"She denies that."
 
"She naturally............