"I am a woman, and that answers all," said Mrs. Snow sullenly. "I don't mind telling you all this, as you cannot accuse me of anything. If you did say that I told you what I am now telling you, I should deny it; and who would believe you, against a respectable woman like me?" "You are a wicked woman!" said Beatrice again. "Go on with what you have to say. I want to get away from you as soon as possible." "You may not be in such a hurry to leave me on a future occasion," retorted Mrs. Snow. "You and I have not done with one another yet. I know much that you would like to know." "What is that?" "I'll tell you later. Meanwhile, I tell you that I was lying awake and heard a noise. I stole out, and saw Mrs. Hall ready dressed to go out into the passage. She was at the head of the stairs, and with her was old Alpenny, for he was old even then. They stopped talking for a time, as I saw, and he apparently was persuading her to do something. Then they went along towards the wing where Colonel Hall slept. I went back to bed, wondering what Mrs. Hall meant by keeping a midnight appointment with old Alpenny. I never suspected the truth. Next morning the necklace was gone and George Hall murdered. And she did it!" shouted Mrs. Snow savagely; "she--you mother! Alpenny was her accomplice. He wished to get the necklace. He was afraid to kill George Hall himself, and made a woman do it. Then she got the necklace after she cut poor George's throat, and Alpenny made her marry him under a threat of denouncing her as what she was, a murderess--a murderess--you--you daughter of one!" jeered Mrs. Snow, pointing a mocking finger at the pale girl. "You lie!" said Beatrice, shaken but not convinced. "A black patch was found under the window of my father's room. It was open; and now that a man with a black patch killed Mr. Alpenny (for the necklace, for all I know), I believe he also killed my father." "You admit that Mr. Alpenny had the necklace. How did he get it?" "Orchard said that Alpenny killed my father." "No; your mother did. Alpenny was merely the accomplice." "Wait. Major Ruck declared that Colonel Hall gave the necklace before his death to Mrs. Hedge. Now I know that Mrs. Hedge was really Mrs. Hall, I believe him. Father gave my mother the necklace, and doubtless what else you say is true. My mother was forced to marry Alpenny, because he threatened to denounce her, She must have been suspected of the crime. I can see that plainly, else she would not have changed her name to Hedge. I wonder she was not recognised." "No one knew her here," said Mrs. Snow gloomily. "She was only one night at Convent Grange, and on that night her husband was murdered. Pshaw! She is guilty." "I don't believe it," insisted Beatrice, rising defiantly; "but I will prove the truth of what you say. Durban must speak out now."