"And he will accuse your mother as I accuse her. Why did Durban go to serve Alpenny for nothing? Because Alpenny, wishing to get a faithful servant for nothing, said he would denounce Mrs. Hall unless she married him and brought Durban with her. Durban knows the truth, but he has kept silent all these years because he dared not speak out without hanging Mrs. Hall." "She is dead now, so nothing can be done," said Beatrice sadly; "but at least her memory can be cleared, and I shall clear it." "If you delve into your mother's past, you will find more things than murder in it," said Mrs. Snow sneeringly. "She loved Major Ruck." "What?" "She loved Major Ruck, I tell you. He also was at Convent Grange on the night the crime was committed, and I believe that your mother was about to elope with him when I saw her dressed at midnight, with Alpenny talking to her." "Oh," said Beatrice coldly, "I thought that she was there--as you say--to murder my father." "She intended to do so, and then elope with Ruck; but Alpenny caught her in his toils. For all I know, I may have seen her talking after the murder, and Alpenny may have gone with her to get the necklace." "You make out a very pretty case, Mrs. Snow," said Beatrice, her heart beating loudly and quickly, for the weight of evidence did seem to be against Mrs. Hall. "However, I shall see Durban, and then come again to see you. Good day," and she moved away, while Mrs. Snow laughed. CHAPTER XV A CURIOUS COINCIDENCE It was all very strange, thought Beatrice, as she walked towards Convent Grange. She had learned much from Orchard and from Mrs. Snow, yet apparently there was more to learn. Who had killed Colonel Hall? Who had murdered Jarvis Alpenny? Was the assassin one and the same? And if she found the assassin, would she learn who possessed the necklace, which seemed to account for both crimes? Finally, did she discover the identity of the assassin and the necklace, would she be able to learn the mystery which lurked in the background of Vivian's life? These were the questions which Beatrice asked herself on the way home. In spite of Mrs. Snow's assertion and significant tale of the midnight meeting with Alpenny, the girl could not bring herself to believe that her mother was guilty. A woman would never think of cutting a man's throat, and probably when a frail little woman such as Mrs. Hall was reported to have been, would not have the power. Then again, Alpenny was murdered in the same way, and Mrs. Hall had been lying in Hurstable churchyard for years. Also, if Mrs. Hall was guilty, what had the black patch which had reappeared in the second crime to do with the first one? It seemed impossible that these riddles could be answered.