“Then who has been blackmailing him of late, and what for?” “Blackmail!” Minna looked blank. “Never such a thing as that has happened to my husband!” She spoke proudly and positively. “You know of no one who had a hold over Mr Varian,—or thought he had,—and who wrote him threatening letters?” “Most assuredly not! And I know that nothing of the sort ever did occur, for he would most certainly have told me. We were more confidential than most married people, and we never had secrets from one another.” “Well, perhaps I am over-imaginative.” “What made you think it?” asked Minna, curiously; “if you have found any letters you can’t explain, show them to me,—I can doubtless tell you about them.” After a moment’s hesitation, Wise handed her a letter. It bore neither date nor address, but it read, “Unless you accede to my demands, I shall expose you, and the woman you robbed will claim redress or return of her property.” This brief message was signed “Step.” and Minna read it with a look of utter perplexity. “I don’t know what it means,” she said, handing it back, “but I’m sure it’s of no importance. Mr Varian never robbed a woman in his life! The very idea is too absurd to consider. You are at liberty to hunt it down, Mr Wise, but you will never find it has a meaning that will reflect on my husband’s stainless honor! You may refer to any of his friends, his relatives or his business associates. All will tell you that Frederick Varian and dishonesty are contradictory terms!” “That may all be true, Mrs Varian, and doubtless is true, but you know blackmailers are not so scrupulous, and they sometimes find a peg to hang their demands on even in the case of the most upright. This note is undated, but the envelope shows it was mailed less than six months ago. Therefore the matter may be still unsettled, and may have a bearing on the whole case. Could there have been any family reason that would influence him to leave the pearls away from his daughter?” “Oh, no! His brother and sister-in-law were quite as much surprised as I was to learn of that. But, Mr Wise, what do you think about this matter of the kidnappers asking for ransom? Do you think it is all a fraud?” “I’m going to look into that as soon as I can. At first glance, it seems fraudulent, but the wonder is that you haven’t had similar letters from other fakers. However, I am going to work backward. I want, first of all to look about a bit, for evidences or clues regarding last night’s tragedy. I am sure the whole string of horrors is a connected one, and to find out who killed poor Martha, will in my opinion be a stepping-stone to the solution of the other mysteries.” “There’s a clue for you, then,” Zizi said, not moving from her seat, but pointing to a spot on the rug near the safe. Wise’s eyes followed her finger’s direction and saw a slight mark, as of a dusty footprint. In a moment, he was on his knees near it, and scrutinized it carefully.