"Oh! Then you never saw the two sisters together?" "I did not. I never saw Emma in my life." "Of course you know her sad story," said Fanks, after a pause. "Anne's mother told it to me. I know that Emma married Fellenger secretly, and was driven to her death by his brutality. Now, you can see why I reminded you of our friendship before telling you the truth." "No!" said Fanks, sharply, "I can't see." "Why! I am engaged to the sister of the dead girl; so I thought--" "That I might accuse you of killing Sir Gregory out of revenge?" "Well, I did have that thought in my head; and then the coincidence of the cross, you know." Fanks laughed, and took the hand of Hersham. "My dear lad," he said. "I have no idea of accusing you of the crime; your engagement to Miss Colmer is no proof that you killed the man who acted so badly towards her sister. Do not, therefore, hesitate to tell me all you know. How Emma Calvert came to London; how she met with Sir Gregory; and how she was loved by Herbert Vaud?" "What!" cried Hersham. "You know that also?" "I know more than you think, Hersham; therefore, if you attempt to deceive me I shall find you out. Now go on with your story." "I do not want to deceive you," replied the journalist, "but you must understand that I only speak from hearsay. If you want the tale first-hand you must see old Mrs. Colmer, at Taxton-on-Thames." "Hum!" said Fanks, remembering his theory regarding the directing of the envelope which contained the cardboard star. "What kind of a person is the lady in question?" "An invalid," said Hersham, promptly. "A paralytic; she has not moved hand or foot for years." "Confound it!" "What is the matter?" "Nothing. Only your information has upset a theory. Never mind; go on." "There isn't much to tell," said Hersham. "Mrs. Colmer is a decayed gentlewoman, whose husband died and left her with two little girls. To support these she set up a dressmaker's establishment at Taxton-on-Thames. When the children grew up, Mrs. Colmer was smitten with paralysis and laid on the shelf. Anne and Emma carried on the business, and thus supported their mother. Emma came to London to gain experience in a fashionable dressmaker's establishment; and Anne remained behind to look after the shop at Taxton-on-Thames. While in London, Emma met with young Vaud at the house of a friend of her mother's. He fell in love with Emma and wished to marry her. She liked him, but she did not love him; nevertheless, for her mother's sake, she accepted his offer. Then in an unlucky hour Herbert introduced Fellenger to Emma; she loved him, or was attracted by his title. At all events, she ran away with him to Paris and became his wife." "She was married in a London office. Registrar's."