"He declares that the necklace is accursed." "Pooh!" said Vivian, with supreme contempt. "That is his African superstition. You must not forget, Beatrice, that Durban is half a negro. If the necklace can be found, it certainly must be given back to you, for your own sake. Not for mine," he added quickly; "I don't care if you are an heiress or a pauper. I marry you because I love you, my darling." He offered to take her in his arms, but she drew back. "One moment, Vivian," she said rapidly. "Can you tell me where the necklace is to be found?" "I!" He started back in great surprise, and met her gaze frankly but with a puzzled look. "How should I know?" "Mr. Alpenny, I truly believe, was killed for the sake of that necklace, as was my father before him. I do not believe that my father gave it to my mother. He was killed and robbed--so was Alpenny." "Beatrice, do you imply that I know anything of this murder?" "I can explain," she said, and came closer. "Alpenny was killed by a man who wore a black patch over his left eye. A black patch was found under the window of the room in which my father, Colonel Hall, was murdered. Both crimes were committed, if not by the same man, as I have hitherto believed, at least by a member of the Black Patch Gang to which Alpenny belonged." Paslow covered his face with a groan, unable to meet the vivid lightning of her eyes. "What do you know about the Black Patch Gang?" he asked in stifled tones. "All that Jerry Snow could tell me. He was in Whitechapel, and heard many remarks about this gang of thieves which the police are always trying to break up. Now that the gang is concerned in murder as well as in thievery, the police will make every effort to capture the man who heads them. What is his name?" "How should I know?" demanded Paslow hoarsely. "Because you do know. Alpenny hinted that you had committed crimes." "He lied--he lied," said Vivian passionately. "I am as innocent of evil-doing as you are; folly, perhaps, but never crime." "I believe that. I am certain that the man I love would never descend to sordid crime. But you have been drawn into the toils of this gang. I believe that Alpenny was the head--he decoyed you into his snares; or else Ruck--Major Ruck, his decoy-duck." "There is some truth in what you say, but----" "No; you must speak out. I will stand by you to the end, and do all I can to reveal my love more and more. But I refuse"--she drew herself upright--"to marry you unless you tell me the whole truth." "Give me time," he panted, and clenched his hands. "No. You must tell me now, or to-night we part for ever." Paslow uttered a groan, and moved forward two or three steps as though about to seek safety in flight. "Beatrice!" he said brokenly. "Your answer?" she demanded, making every effort to appear calm.