"Penn says as much," repeated Dan, who had made the same remark earlier, "but it is just at that point he ends. Listen and I shall read you the last sentence," and Halliday took the papers from his pocket. The three sheets were intact, as Curberry did only rend away the remainder from the brass clasp. At the end of the third page Halliday read, "Mrs. Jarsell of the Grange, Hillshire, can explain how Mrs.----" Dan broke off with a frown. "Here we come to the end of the page, and can learn no more. Curberry burnt the most important part of the confession, which doubtless gave full details of Mrs. Jarsell's connection with the gang." "She could explain about Mrs. Brown, I suppose," said Lillian, quietly. "Yes. The first word over the page is, I am certain, Brown. What is more, I believe Mrs. Jarsell and Mrs. Brown are one and the same." "If I see Mrs. Jarsell, I may recognize her, Dan. I saw the false Mrs. Brown, remember, and it was because of me that she was admitted to an interview with my father." "If you do recognize her, which I doubt, you must not let on you know who she really is," Dan warned the girl; "our business just now, and until we get more evidence, is to pretend entire ignorance of these things. You are up in Hillshire for a change of air, Lillian, and know nothing. Mrs. Jarsell, relying on the clever way in which she was disguised, will never dream that you connect her with the poor woman who came on that fatal night to see your father. You understand?" "Quite," put in Mrs. Bolstreath, before the girl could speak, "and I shall see that Lillian acts her part of knowing nothing." "Remember you deal with an extraordinarily clever woman, Mrs. Bolstreath." "I am a woman also, so diamond can cut diamond." "But, Dan," asked Lillian, timidly, "do you think that Mrs. Jarsell really did murder my father?" "On what evidence we have, I believe she did. She murdered your father and Durwin because they knew too much, and I should not be surprised to learn, in spite of the verdict at the inquest, that she got rid of Penn." "Why should she?" "Penn let out too much to me," explained Dan, putting away the confession, "and, in any case, was a weak sort of chap, who was a source of danger to the society. Queen Beelzebub, who is, I believe, Mrs. Jarsell, evidently thought it was best to silence him. I am sure that Penn did not commit suicide, and was drowned by Mrs. Jarsell. Still, in the absence of further evidence, we can do nothing." "What action will you take now?" asked Mrs. Bolstreath, quickly. "Before leaving Thawley to-morrow morning," said Halliday, after a pause, "I shall post this confession to Laurance, and tell him to make use of it only should he hear that anything happens to me." "Or to me," chimed in Lillian, and looked a trifle nervous.