"I can offer no opinion on that point," rejoined Elspeth, in an equally cool manner. "The will was none of my making. But if you wanted to inherit the money, you should have given up this Captain Kyles, as your father wished." "I won't and I didn't. I would rather lose every penny than give up Bruce." "It seems to me that you _have_ lost every penny," said Mrs. Herries rather cruelly, "but you have got your lover." "No, I haven't," cried Maud, her eyes very bright and her cheeks very red; then suddenly broke down, "Oh, Elspeth, do help me, or I'll lose him altogether. He won't marry me unless I have the money, and I haven't got it." But Elspeth was not going to yield to a few crocodile tears. "You can get the money when Angus is hanged," she retorted. Maud dried her eyes viciously. "Very well," she cried, with a stamp, "you're a hard-hearted girl and a beast. I hate and detest you. I came here to save your husband, but now he can hang." "Very good. Now you can go." But this was not what Miss Tedder wanted. "See here," she said, becoming business-like, and speaking in a hard voice, "if you and Angus will promise to give me half the income, I'll save him." "Can you?" "You asked that before. Yes, I can." Elspeth recalled what the other had said a few moments previously. "By getting someone to declare his innocence," she repeated. "No," said Maud, coming closer and whispering, "by getting someone to plead guilty to the crime." "What is the name of this someone?" "I shan't tell you." "You shall, you must." "No! If you and Angus sign a paper saying that I am to have half the money, then I'll save him." "By denouncing the real criminal?" "Oh, I didn't say I knew about that." "You do. I believe you know the truth; and wish to get Angus hanged simply to get this horrible money," and before Maud could evade her she caught the girl by her wrist, "you'll tell me the name of the assassin before you leave this room." "Leave me alone," cried Miss Tedder in a cold fury, "how dare you?" In answer Elspeth gave the wrist such a twist that Maud screamed aloud with pain. "Tell me--tell me." "You're hurting me. Ow! Ow!" "Cry away," taunted Elspeth, "I intend to have the truth." Maud set her teeth and tried to wriggle free. But she might as well have attempted to extricate herself from a blacksmith's vice. "Oh, you are hurting me!" "I'll break your wrist before I've done. Speak," and Elspeth shook her as a terrier does a rat. "No," Maud fastened her teeth in Elspeth's wrist and received a box on the ears. Then she burst out crying and dropped to the floor with Mrs. Herries still holding to her prey. "Oh, you are cruel." Elspeth shook her again, and went on shaking as she spoke. "Tell me--tell me." "I'm not sure," whimpered Miss Tedder, now really frightened of the other's blazing eyes. "I can prove nothing." "You must let me judge of that. Who killed Sir Simon?" "Will you give me half the money if I tell you?"