"With Nora I had a pleasant, careless life, until about two years ago I met the Major, unknown to Nora, and afterwards became on friendly terms with a young man, an officer in the guards, who was his friend. Tattersett won a large sum from him at cards; and then I saw, to my dismay, that he had been attracted only by the mild flirtation I had carried on with him, and that he had played in order to please me. The Major increased my dismay by telling me that this young man was the son of a certain woman who was his bitterest enemy--the Italian woman called La Gioia--and that she would seek a terrible revenge upon us both. This was to frighten me. My life having been spent in the convent, I knew very little of the ways of the world, yet I soon saw sufficient of both to know that Tattersett was an expert forger, and that his accomplice Graham was a clever continental thief whom the police had long been wanting. How I called at the house in Queen's-gate Gardens, and afterwards lost control over my own actions, I have already explained. The motive of our marriage is an absolute enigma." She stood before me white-faced and rigid. "It is fortunate that Graham is here. Shall we seek the truth from him?" I asked. "Yes," she responded. "Demand from him the reason of our mysterious union." La Gioia touched the bell, gave an order to the servant, and, after a few moments of dead silence, Graham stood in the doorway. CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. CONCLUSION. "You!" gasped the man, halting quickly in alarm. "Yes," I said. "Enter, Mr Graham; we wish to speak with you." "You've betrayed me--curse you!" he cried, turning upon La Gioia. "You've told them the truth?" The colour had died from his face, and he looked as grey and aged as on the first occasion when we had met and he had tempted me. "We desire the truth from your own lips," I said determinedly. "I am not here without precautions. The house is surrounded by police, and they will enter at a sign from me if you refuse an explanation--the truth, mind. If you lie you will both be arrested." "I know nothing," he declared, his countenance dark and sullen. He made a slight instinctive movement towards his pocket, and I knew that a revolver was there. "You know the reason of our marriage," I said quickly. "What was it?" "Speak!" urged La Gioia. "You can only save yourself by telling the truth." "Save myself!" he cried in a tone of defiance. "You wish to force me to confession--you and this woman! You've acted cleverly. When she invited me here, this afternoon, I did not dream that she had outwitted me." The woman had, however, made the appointment in ignorance of our intentions, therefore she must have had some other motive. But he was entrapped, and saw no way of escape. "I have worked diligently all these months, and have solved the mystery of what you really are," I said. "Then that's sufficient for you, I suppose;" and his thin lips snapped together.