"In the cab we changed our clothes. Julia reassumed her petticoat and dress, also the fawn-coloured mantle of Lydia, and the hat given to her by Donna Maria. I put on the coat and hat and black beard. When we alighted from the cab near the Avenue Theatre and dismissed it, I went down to the Embankment with Julia, and threw the trousers she had worn into the river. As I did so, she ran off down the Embankment. Then I recollected that the bank-notes were in the pocket of the dress I had worn, and which she now had on. I followed her as quickly as I could, and found her talking to a man near Cleopatra's Needle. I did not know who the man was, but, thinking she was betraying the fact that I had murdered Grent, I became mad with rage. I ran at her with my knife open, she turned, and I stabbed her to the heart. The man ran off. I waited to search Julia's clothes for the notes, but could not find them, so I concluded that she had given them to the man. I resolved to follow, but first tried to throw the body into the river, so as to conceal my crime. I dragged it as far as the steps, when I heard someone coming, and ran off to save myself. "I went after the unknown man, but could not trace him. I wanted to know who he was, and get the money back. That was why I wished to assist in the investigation of the case. As Julia was dead and Lydia staunch, I thought I would never be discovered. But I fell by my own folly. Finding out from Darrel that Vass was the man who had taken the notes from Julia, I wrote a note asking him to meet me, intending to force him to give them up. He came, and he betrayed me; so now I am in gaol. I cannot defend myself at the trial, as Vass recognised me; so it is certain that I shall be condemned to death. I have confessed my crime, and I have nothing more to do but sign myself as a double murderer. God have mercy on all who give way to their passions. "RODERICK BLAKE." A week after this precious confession, Torry was seated in Darrel's chambers talking over the matter. The detective was rather downcast, and Frank was trying to cheer him up. "After all, you found out who committed the crimes," said he, "and that wretched Blake has committed suicide." "Yes; but I expected to find Leighbourne and discovered Blake. Yet I feel sure that Leighbourne is mixed up in the case." "And you are right," said Frank soothingly, "perfectly right." "Right, am I! How so?" "Well, Vass came to see me this morning in a great state of mind. He had been kicked out of his billet, because of his connection with this case." "By old Leighbourne?" "Yes; but he is not so furious with that old ass as with his son. Do you know who returned those notes to Manuel?" "Why, Vass, of course."