"I'm sorry," said Pauline, and her face was white; "Did he--did he--c-confess?" The girl's voice trembled, and she could scarcely pronounce the words. "Not he," said Hardy; "he seemed dazed, and declared his innocence,--but he was not convincing. He takes it very hard and talks wildly and at random. But you know what Frenchmen are; liable to go off their heads at any time." "But look at it," reasoned Anita; "_why_ would the Count kill Miss Carrington? Why, he thought of marrying her." "Not much he didn't!" and Hardy smiled a little. "I size it up this way. Matters had gone so far that he had to propose to the lady or clear out. He didn't want to clear out for then she would take back the little matter of ten thousand dollars already marked for him in her will. Moreover, he couldn't realize that tidy little sum, which he very much wants, so long as she lived. To be sure, he would have had far more, had he married her, but that was not in 'his nibs'' plans. So he resorted to desperate measures. He's a thorough villain, that man! Outwardly, most correct and honorable, but really, an adventurer, as is also his friend, the dashing young widow." "Mr. Hardy," and Pauline spoke calmly, now, "do you _know_ these things to be true of Count Charlier, or are you assuming them?" "Well, Miss Stuart, I know human nature pretty well, especially male human nature, and if I'm mistaken in this chap, I'll be surprised. But also, I've set afoot an investigation, and we'll soon learn his record, antecedents and all that. At present, no one knows much about him; and what Mrs. Frothingham knows she won't tell." "It was very strange for Aunt Lucy to give him that money----" began Pauline musingly. "Not at all," broke in Gray, "I know all about that. Miss Carrington had a certain bunch of bonds that amounted to just fifty thousand dollars. In one of her sudden bursts of generosity, and she often had such, she decided to give those bonds to five people. I mean, to devise them in her will, not to give them now. Well, four were Miss Stuart and Carr Loria, Miss Frayne and myself. And then, she hesitated for some time, but finally announced that the fifth portion should be named for the Count. I was there when the lawyer fixed it up, and Miss Carrington turned to me and said, laughingly, 'I may change that before it comes due!' Oh, she was always messing with her will. I'm glad there's a tidy bit in it for me, as it is. Her demise _might_ have taken place when I was for the moment cut out." "Was there ever such a time?" asked Hardy. "There sure was! Only last month, she got firing mad with me, and crossed me off without a shilling. Then she got over her mad and restored me to favor." "You and Miss Frayne have other bequests than those particular bonds you mentioned?" asked the detective. "Yes, we have each ten thou' beside, which was all right of the old lady, eh, Anita?"