"I know that. Also that you came down with your daughter when the alarm was given. I also know that Krill fastened your daughter's lips together with the opal brooch which was found in the parlor." "Who told you that?" asked Mrs. Krill, agitated. "Jessop--the boon companion you speak of." "Yes," she said, suppressing her agitation with a powerful effort. "Matilda said you had him to dine with you. What else did he say?" she asked with some hesitation. "Much less than I should have liked to know," retorted Hurd, prepared to throw off the mask; "but he told me a great deal which interested me very much. Amongst other things that Grexon Hay had been engaged to your daughter for two years." "Well?" asked Mrs. Krill, coolly, "what of that?" "Nothing particular," rejoined Hurd, just as coolly, "only I wonder you took the trouble to pretend that you met Hay at Pash's office for the first time." "That was some romantic rubbish of my daughter's. There was no reason why we should not have acknowledged Mr. Hay as an old acquaintance." "None in the world that I can see," said Hurd, smoothly. "He told you that Aaron Norman was your husband." "No," said Mrs. Krill, decidedly, "I first heard of my husband by seeing a chance hand-bill--" "Not at all," answered Hurd, just as decidedly, "Hay has confessed." "There was nothing to confess," cried Mrs. Krill, loudly and with emphasis. "Oh, I think so," said the detective, noting that she was losing her temper. "You didn't want it known that you were aware of Norman's identity before his death. Do you deny that?" "I deny everything," gasped Mrs. Krill, her hands trembling. "That's a pity, as I want you to corroborate certain facts connected with Anne Tyler. Do you know the name?" "My maiden name," said the widow, and a look of fear crept into her hard, staring eyes. "How did you come to know of it?" "From the marriage certificate supplied by Pash." "He had no right to give it to you." "He didn't. I possess only a copy. But that copy I sent down in charge of a certain person to Beechill. This person found that you were married as Anne Tyler to Lemuel Krill in the parish church, twenty miles from your birthplace." Mrs. Krill drew a long breath of relief. "Well?" she demanded defiantly, "is there anything wrong about that?" "No. But this person also made inquiries at Stowley about you. You are the daughter of a farmer." "I mentioned that fact myself." "Yes. But you didn't mention that your mother had been hanged for poisoning your father." Mrs. Krill turned ghastly pale. "No," she said in a suffocating voice, "such is the case; but can you wonder that I forebore to mention that fact? My daughter knows nothing of that--nor did my husband--" "Which husband do you mean, Krill or Jessop?" asked Hurd. Mrs. Krill gasped and rose, swaying. "What do you mean, man?"