"I have given my word," said Mrs. Engledew. "I--the fact is, I am mixed up in this, quite innocently, of course. And I am sure that no living person knows the truth except these men, and just as sure that they will not tell what they know unless they are paid. The police could not make them speak if they didn't want to speak. They know very well that they have got the whip-hand of all of us in that respect!" "Of you, too?" asked Selwood. "Of me, too!" she answered. "Nobody in the world, I'm sure, knows the secret but these men. And it's important to me personally that they should reveal it. In fact, though I'm not rich, I'll join Miss Wynne in paying their price, so far as a thousand pounds is concerned. I would pay more, but I really haven't got the money--I daren't go beyond a thousand." Selwood felt himself impressed by this candid offer. "Precisely what do they ask--what do they propose?" he asked. "This. If you agree to pay them ten thousand pounds, you and Professor Cox-Raythwaite are to meet them tonight. They will then tell the true story, and they will further take you and the police to the man, the real murderer," answered Mrs. Engledew. "It is important that all this should be done tonight." "Where is this meeting to take place?" demanded Selwood. "It can take place at my flat: in fact, it must, because, as I say, I am unfortunately mixed up," said Mrs. Engledew. "If you agree to the terms, you are to telephone to me--I have written my number on the card--at two o'clock this afternoon. Then I shall telephone the time of meeting tonight, and you must bring the money with you." "Ten thousand pounds in cash--on Sunday!" exclaimed Selwood. "That, of course, is utterly impossible." "Not cash in that sense," replied Mrs. Engledew. "An open cheque will do. And, don't you see, that, I think, proves the _bona fides_ of the men. If they fail to do what they say they can and will do, you can stop payment of that cheque first thing tomorrow morning." "Yes, that's so," agreed Selwood. He glanced at Peggie, who was silently listening with deep interest. "I don't know how things stand," he went on. "Mr. Halfpenny, Miss Wynne's solicitor, lives a long way out of town. Miss Wynne would doubtless cheerfully sacrifice ten thousand pounds to save her cousin----" "Oh, twenty thousand--anything!" exclaimed Peggie. "Don't let us hesitate about money, please." "But I don't know whether she can draw a cheque," continued Selwood. "At least, for such an amount as that. Perhaps Professor Cox-Raythwaite can tell us. Let me ask you a question or two, if you please, Mrs. Engledew," he went on. "You say you only know one of these men. Do you know his name?" "No--I don't," confessed Mrs. Engledew. "Everything is secret and mysterious." "Are you convinced--has he done anything to convince you--of his good faith?" "Yes--absolutely!" "You don't doubt his--their--ability to clear all this up?" "I'm quite sure they can clear it up."