"Of course, to gain her own ends. But she is really the wife of Major Ruck: she married him when she first went to town. I believe old Alpenny arranged the marriage, as Major Ruck being a member of his Gang, he wished to secure so clever a woman as Maud also." "Is this true?" "Perfectly true; so you can leave your hand in mine for ever." "That would be a long time," said Beatrice, with a weak laugh of joy. But all the same she allowed her little white hand to rest within Vivian's, and then looked at him inquiringly. "You wish to ask how we found out?" said Paslow, smiling. "Easily enough. Major Ruck redeemed his promise, and removed the obstacle to our marriage by leaving on the desk in the counting-house a certificate of marriage between himself and Maud Orchard. We--that is, Durban and myself--went to the church where the marriage was solemnised, and found that the certificate was genuine. Major Ruck and Maud Orchard were man and wife some months before I came on the scene, and she entrapped me into that unhappy marriage." "But what was Major Ruck doing in the counting-house?" said Beatrice, puzzled. "He was not due until the next evening at seven." "You forget, my darling, what has happened. Waterloo----" "Yes, yes! I remember now," cried Beatrice, half raising herself in her excitement. "He was coming out to kill me with that horrible knife, when someone pulled him down, and I fainted." "It was the Major who pulled him down," said Vivian, gently pushing her back. "Be calm, Beatrice, and I'll tell you everything." "But I remember a lot," she insisted. "Waterloo said that the den at Stepney had been raided, and that he had got away--the Major also. Then because he knew--the Major, I mean--that Waterloo had betrayed the Gang, he followed him down to kill him." "The Major did not kill him, however, darling. Waterloo was----" "Wait a moment, Vivian," she entreated. "I want to see how much I remember. Waterloo said that the Major had followed him down by the same train. I suppose the Major came by the secret passage----" Vivian placed his arms round her so that her head could rest on his breast. "Darling, darling, you must allow me to speak. What you say is true, and you have remembered much. Major Ruck was after Waterloo to kill him, because of his treachery. How he found that the man was coming to Hurstable I do not know. But the den was certainly raided: Tuft and the doctor who attended my wife's double are in custody--the Gang is broken up. The police have examined Durban and myself, and everything has been made clear. While you have been ill the newspapers have been full of the business, and Jerry Snow has made quite a reputation in writing sensational articles." "Go on," said Beatrice, much interested. "I will, if it will not excite you too much." "No, no; I am perfectly calm. Feel my pulse, dear."