"I daresay. He was too clever to take the initiative. But he no doubt made suggestions." "Yes, he did that. Well, I must get the truth out of the man himself. He must account to me for the possession of that pistol, and for his being in the Pine wood on the night of the murder. I wonder he gave himself away like he did." Bess curled her lip. "He did not intend it," she said, "he thought that if he frightened me I would consent to marry him to save my own skin and then hold my tongue about his presence at Saxham. Oh! all his calculations were carefully made, you may be sure Dr. Jim. It was only because he mistook my character that they were upset." Herrick nodded. "There is Don Manuel of course," he said. "The Mexican! What about him?" "Well, I wonder if he has anything to do with this. It is strange that he should be so friendly with Joyce, or with Corn too for the matter of that. Joyce said that a mutual friend of his and mine introduced him to Santiago. I took the trouble to write to that friend--a man called Johnstone, and I learned that Johnstone had never seen or heard of Don Manuel, nor had the Mexican ever been to the Apollo Club where, according to Robin the introduction took place. Where they met, and why they met, I have yet to find out. Luckily I have now enough evidence to force my dear friend Joyce to be candid. And I shall not spare him," said Herrick with a grim smile. "He is a liar and a scoundrel. I never was so mistaken in a man before. I prided myself upon reading character. It seems that I am not so clever as I thought." "No doubt there is something between them, since they are so intimate," was the reply of Miss Endicotte, "but whether it has to do with the murder I do not know. Did Señor Santiago know Colonel Carr?" "In South America, and hated him like poison. It seems they both went on a treasure-hunting expedition in Peru." "Treasure-hunting! Peru. Ah I remember, that was the expedition Frisco used to talk about." "Was Frisco with the Colonel there?" "Yes. He let drop hints that he and the Colonel had found treasure in Peru, and that they had lost themselves. Of course I do not know the whole story. But from what Frisco said I know it was in that way Colonel Carr obtained his wealth." "What a liar that Manuel is!" said Herrick. "He denied that he had ever seen Frisco, According to Manuel only he and Carr were on the expedition. Santiago fell ill, and Carr left him amongst the Indians. He was held in captivity for two years, and when he got back to civilisation Carr had vanished with the treasure. He--I am speaking of the Mexican--arrived in England six months ago--in search of Colonel Carr no doubt." "I wonder if he killed him?" "He might have, and yet I do not know. Revenge is a poor thing when no substantial benefit is to be derived. Santiago wants wealth. He would have managed the affair in a different way." "But remember the warnings!"