"You must ask Angus that. I don't dispose of his property." Maud began to scream. But it was all of no use. She had ventured into the lion's den. "How ill-bred you are," she sobbed. "Ah," said Elspeth contemptuously, "you thought to come here and taunt me, you thought to find a weakling; but you see," with another vigorous shake, "my love for Angus makes me strong. I'm afraid of nothing, when he is in danger. You rejoiced to hear that he was arrested. Very good, then you shall be the one to release him. Now then, out with it,--out with it," and again came the shaking until Maud was quite sick. She was terribly afraid of this reckless girl, who dared to lay hands on her. There was nothing for it, but to tell the truth so far as she knew it. "Señora Guzman murdered my father," she cried, grovelling. Mrs. Herries was so surprised that she released her hold, and stepped back a pace to see if Maud was speaking truly. "How do you know?" "Papa wrote a letter to her saying that he would disinherit me if I didn't give up Bruce, and asked her to meet him at the 'Marsh Inn' to see if she could take Bruce away from me." "It might be true," murmured Elspeth, recalling that Señora Guzman smoked the brand of cigarette found in Herries' room. "But why did she kill your father?" "He took a lot of money with him, and she wanted it to fit out an expedition to find Manco Capac's treasure." "Who told you this?" "Bruce. He fears her and loves me. There," Maud rose, and smoothed her skirts, "I've told you the truth. But you can prove nothing without me. Give me half the money and----" "You shall have half the money if you save Angus," said Elspeth. CHAPTER XVIII A SURPRISING DEFENCE Elspeth lost no time in relating to Kind all that she had heard from Maud, and also confessed that she had promised the girl half her father's fortune if she saved Angus. Sweetlips was rather annoyed that such a promise had been extorted,--which it really had been,--as Miss Tedder certainly did not deserve one single penny. "However," said the Cheap-jack, "YOU made the promise, and not Mr. Herries, therefore if he refuses, Miss Tedder can say nothing." "Angus will do what I want," replied the girl, quickly. "I know that, but you won't want him to reward iniquity, and--" "Oh, Maud is not so bad as that." "She's about as bad as they make 'em," grumbled the ex-detective grimly. "To get that money she is quite willing to see her cousin hanged, and is only hedging at the last moment, as she fears lest your father should save him." "Do you think my father really can?" "Yes. I know what he is going to say, and it will settle the matter. Therefore Miss Tedder, not having saved Mr. Herries, can expect nothing. Moreover, the fortune will not be your husband's until he discovers the criminal. Oh, there are many reasons why your forced promise to Miss Tedder need not be kept."