He ascended the steps and rang the bell, but before the sound had died away he was aware of a brisk step approaching, and turned to see a young lady walking along the terrace on the right. She was tall and dark, with fine eyes and a handsome face. Her figure was shown to perfection by the trim, tailor-made costume which she wore. In her hand she carried a silver-headed cane, and walked smartly towards the detective, with the air of a woman fully alive to the importance of time. When she spoke, her voice was deep and full, but the matter of her speech was remarkably business-like. On the whole Gebb judged Miss Edith Wedderburn--for he guessed that this was the young lady referred to by Prain--to be a clever, plain-spoken woman, with few of the weaknesses of her sex to hamper what she conceived to be her duty. "Good day!" said the lady, with a comprehensive glance. "May I ask what you want?" "I wish to see Miss Wedderburn." "Well, you see her now. I am Miss Wedderburn. Can I do anything for you?" "Yes," replied Gebb, becoming as curt and as business-like as herself, "you can give me a trifle of information." "Can I?" said Miss Wedderburn, dryly. "That entirely depends upon my humour and what you want to know. Also, why you what to know it. Who are you?" "My name is Absalom Gebb." "I am no wiser," interrupted the girl, with pointed insolence. "Of New Scotland Yard, Detective," finished Gebb, coolly. This time his reply made a decided impression on his hitherto cool auditor. The rich colouring of her face vanished as by magic, and she became pale even to the lips. Nevertheless, she forced herself to smile with some composure, and controlled her emotion by a powerful effort of will. Startled as she was, she even attempted to speak lightly. "And what does Mr. Absalom Gebb, Detective, wish with me?" she said in a low voice, her eyes fixed on the man's face. "He wishes to ask you a few questions," said Gebb in the same vein. "About what? About whom?" "About Miss Ligram." "Ligram! I don't know the name," said Edith, calmly. "Who is Miss Ligram?" "The owner of this place." "You are wrong there, Mr. Gebb; the lady who owns this place is called Miss Gilmar." "I am aware of the fact. But it suited her to take other names while she lived." "While she lived!" repeated Miss Wedderburn, raising her voice in surprise. "What do you mean?" "I mean that Miss Gilmar is dead!" "Dead!" "Murdered." "Murdered! Oh, God! When? Where?" "In a suburb of London called Grangebury on the twenty-fourth of last month." Edith looked rigidly at the detective with horror in her dark eyes, and for the moment seemed scarcely to comprehend his news. She appeared to be genuinely astonished and shocked; yet her next question conveyed to Gebb a hint that she was not altogether unprepared for the information. "Did he kill her?" she stammered, laying her hand on Gebb's arm. "He! Who?" asked the cunning detective, trying to trap her into a hasty speech.