"And criminals nowadays are just as stupid as they were in my youth," he said, waving his pipe. "For instance, why did Alder kill Miss Gilmar?" "Because he wanted her money." "Well, by threatening her with Dean he could have got her to allow him a good income. There was no need for him to strangle her." "Perhaps not; and especially in poor Mrs. Presk's front parlour. She hasn't been able to let it since. And, to make matters worse, Matilda Crane has gone away with the five pounds you gave her." "Mrs. Presk had better give up the house at once," said Parge, nodding. "No one will occupy a room in which a murder has taken place. 'Taint nat'ral to live with ghosts. What about that Yellow Boudoir at Kirkstone Hall?" "Oh! Mr. and Mrs. Ferris are going to pull it down when they come back from their honeymoon, I expect they will build another wing." "By the way, is Ferris going to stick to that name?" "Well, no; but all the same he isn't going to call himself Dean." "Then he is going to take his wife's name, I suppose?" suggested Parge. Gebb shook his head "By the will of that ancestor who left the Hall to his descendants, all who live in it not being Kirkstones have to take that name. If Alder had lived he would have called himself John Kirkstone." "Like the one that was murdered. A bad omen!" "Well, he never had a chance of changing his name. But I expect Ferris and Miss Wedderburn will call themselves Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kirkstone." "Well," said Parge, raising his glass, "I hope they will be lucky." "So do I," responded Gebb, "If only because they paid this two hundred pounds." "Of which I got only fifty," grumbled Parge, and so got the last word after all. THE END End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lady from Nowhere, by Fergus Hume