"Of course. She is your daughter, and, however badly she may have behaved, she should be looked after. If you cut her off with a shilling, as you said you would do, people would blame me, and I do not care about beginning my married life with the reputation of being cruel to my step-daughter. One can never be too particular, as my mother, who is a consistent--" "Yes, yes," interrupted Branwin, who was rather weary of Miss Pearl's constant reference to her mother; "I quite understand. I have told my lawyer to write to Audrey informing her that she shall have two thousand a year during my life, and I have to-day made a codicil to my will leaving her the same amount should I die. Had she obeyed me in the matter of marrying Lord Anvers she would have had more; but I altered my will and reduced what I intended to leave her to that amount." "It is quite enough," said Miss Pearl, after a pause, and rather nervously. "I hope everything is arranged legally?" "Yes, I have signed the codicil, and the letter will be sent to Audrey at the Three Fishers to-morrow. Why do you ask if I have arranged things legally?" "Because," said Rosy Pearl, still nervously, and leaning her head more fondly on her elderly lover's shoulder, "I have a confession to make to you. On the night poor Lady Branwin was murdered I was sleeping at the Pink Shop." "I know, I know," said Sir Joseph, impatiently. "I heard from Audrey that my wife intended to stay there also, and for that reason I came round to Walpole Lane. I thought that you might meet, and that there would be a row, for Dora was always jealous of you. How she found out that I loved you I don't know, but she did." Sir Joseph drew a deep breath. "I was glad when in Walpole Lane I saw that everything was quiet. Mrs. Mellop saw me, however, when she and Audrey called at the shop at half-past eight, and because she did hinted that I was concerned in the murder." "I said just now," continued Miss Pearl, slowly, "that Mrs. Shawe was your daughter. She is not." Sir Joseph violently pushed away the woman and sprang to his feet. "What is that you say?" he demanded, in an angry voice. "You heard me, didn't you?" said Miss Pearl, doggedly. "Mrs. Shawe is not your daughter," and then she related what she had overheard about the kidnapping of Colonel Ilse's daughter, and the fraud that had been perpetrated on the millionaire by his wife. "You knew this when you asked me to allow Audrey--" "Yes, I did," said Miss Pearl, with mulish obstinacy, "and you must let the codicil remain, also the allowance." "I'm hanged if I will!" said Branwin, savagely. "Why should I give my hard-earned money to another man's brat?"