"Yes; but he did not love her, and no doubt since she was old and ill-favoured, he showed his dislike to her advances too plainly. I fancy that it was a case of a woman scorned, and that Miss Gilmar revenged herself by accusing Dean. However, this is all theory," added Gebb, with a shrug, "and, as such, is worth little. Dean was condemned on Miss Gilmar's testimony, and, no doubt, intended to kill her if he could escape. Although," added the detective, inconsequently, "I don't believe he did." "Why not?" said Parge, emphatically. "He did escape, and I believe he did kill her. As sure as I sit here, it was Dean who strangled that wretched woman." "Humph! Humph!" said Gebb, perplexed. "I'm not certain." "I am, Absalom. Why, she expected to meet with a violent death at his hands. That was why she left Kirkstone Hall, and concealed herself in these various lodgings under several false names. Besides, as I read in the papers, she constantly consulted fortune-tellers as to whether she would die by violence: a behaviour which showed how lively were her fears." "That is all very well," admitted Gebb, "but there was no struggle: there was wine drunk; a cigarette smoked by the murderer: and Miss Gilmar let him wander about the room. What does all this prove? That she knew her visitor and trusted him. She could not, and would not, have trusted the man who had sworn to kill her." "He might have gone to her disguised as a fortune-teller," suggested Parge. "That is rather an imaginative suggestion," said Gebb, smiling. "By the way, when did Dean escape?" "Towards the end of '93; and you say yourself that Miss Gilmar began her wanderings in that year." "Quite so; and I admit that she fled to escape Dean's vengeance, but I am not so certain that he killed her. Remember, the diamonds were stolen; so it may be a vulgar murder for robbery, after all." "No," said Parge, sticking obstinately to his point. "Dean killed her out of revenge, and stole the diamonds to provide himself with the means of escape. Have you been round the pawnshops?" "Not yet; but every pawnbroker has been warned. Also, I have sent detectives over to Amsterdam and to Paris to watch if the diamonds turn up." "Very good," said Simon, with a nod; "if Dean tries to pawn the jewels you'll catch him." "I don't believe the thief is Dean." "I do; and also that he killed Miss Gilmar. Well, and what do you intend to do now?" "Go down to Kirkstone Hall and see the original of the Yellow Boudoir." "Good! And afterwards?" "Interview the solicitor who conducted the defence for Dean." "You mean the barrister." "No, I don't; I mean the solicitor. Who was Dean's solicitor?" "Mr. Prain, of 40, Bacon Lane. You won't get anything out of him, Absalom," said Parge, warningly. "He's as close as wax." "Who was Dean's counsel?" asked Gebb, ignoring the hint. "Clement Basson," replied Parge; "you'll induce him to talk freely--for a drink." "Oh! he is dissipated?"