"No, you don't!" he shouted. "You die with me, whoever you are! I've made arrangements for this; I never intended to live: but I thought I'd die alone. Now I've got you!" and he made a clutch at Jerry's throat. After that the struggle proceeded in silence, for Job held his peace, and Jerry could not cry out by reason of those two strong hands fast on his throat. By this time the room was blazing like a furnace, and the clothes of the two men were in flames. A frightened wayfarer saw the fire streaming towards the sky--saw two men vaguely struggling in the flames. CHAPTER XXX. THE TRUTH AT LAST. "It is not impossible," said Geoffrey, thunderstruck. Mrs. Marshall shook her head. "So possible that I always thought so myself," she said. "My own idea was the same," remarked Mr. Cass, who was the third person of the party now assembled in Mr. Heron's library. "I have told you several times, Geoffrey, that I believed Mrs. Jenner to be guilty." The young man drew a long breath. Even now he could scarcely credit the news. "So she really did kill her husband?" "There can be no doubt about it," said Mr. Cass, pointing to an envelope lying on the table. "There is a copy of her confession! She signed it in the presence of the chaplain and the governor of the gaol." It was the morning after the burning down of the Turnpike House that this conversation took place. Information that two charred bodies had been found among the ruins had led Geoffrey to believe that Jerry had perished along with Job. Stephen had informed him on the previous night that the creature had made his escape, and no pursuit had been attempted. There was no doubt in Geoffrey's mind that Jerry had gone to see Job at the Turnpike House; but why he should have done so, and why it had come about that he and the gypsy should have met their deaths together, he could not think. Nor was the mystery ever cleared up. But if the death of Jerry remained a mystery that of Jenner did not. Towards noon Mr. Cass made his appearance together with his sister to see Mr. Heron. After some little talk about the fire, Geoffrey detailed what had been confessed to him on the previous night. "How did it all come about?" he asked now. "That's what I want to know," said Inez. "Sebastian has told me nothing beyond the bare fact as yet." "Because I want to tell the story once and for all, and then put it out of my mind," said her brother, solemnly. "You see, Heron, my sister and you both know all about this case. What you have told us about Jerry Hutt's visit supplies the last link which brings the crime home to Mrs. Jenner. I am not going to tell anyone else how the murder took place. I have asked the governor and the chaplain not to tell Neil the truth when he goes up for the funeral. He has had enough trouble, poor boy; I, for one, do not want him to have any more. He believes now that his mother is innocent----"