Miss Destiny's eyes narrowed and she looked venomous. "I certainly should have half the money. Gabriel said that he would leave me a legacy, and he did not. Yet I slaved for many years looking after his house." "You got board and lodging for your services," said Gertrude coldly. "I ought to have got a legacy," insisted Miss Destiny. "Gabriel promised me some money. But he left his income and the property to Walter and the rest of his savings to you. You owe me half, and I mean to have half. I don't say, dear," added Miss Destiny significantly, "that you murdered Anne. But if the police knew that you had paid her a visit to ask about the eye you might be asked unpleasant questions." "I did not ask about the eye, because I did not know until later that the eye contained the cipher," said Gertrude calmly, "but after reading the diary I certainly went to ask Anne to give me the cipher, so that I might find what rightfully belonged to me." "Half of it only," snapped Miss Destiny, "and you certainly ran away with Mr. Vance's motor car, because I saw you myself in your white cloak. If you are innocent--mind, I don't accuse you of murder--but if you are innocent, why did you run away so strangely?--a guilty conscience: a guilty conscience, my dear." "Miss Destiny," I said indignantly, for the malice of the little creature annoyed me, "it was Joseph Striver who wore Gertrude's cloak and ran off with my car. He told us so himself." "So you say," she sneered. "And I say more. Listen," and forthwith I related all that had been discovered, down to the destruction of the glass eye and the throwing away of the silver coin by Walter Monk. Miss Destiny listened unbelievingly, and with a sneer. Apparently she did not credit a single word of what I was saying. But when I came to the end she interrupted me with a scream. "The eye destroyed, the eye destroyed!" she cried, starting to her feet with surprising activity. "Oh, what a fool, what a fool! Now the fortune can never be discovered." "It has been discovered," put in Gertrude. "What!" Miss Destiny wheeled round venomously and eagerly. "You have found the diamonds you told me that Gabriel mentioned in his diary?" "We have found the hiding-place," I said sharply. "Striver sent me a copy of the cipher, which he took when the eye--as I have told you--was in his possession." "Then give me half, give me half!" shrieked Miss Destiny. "If you don't I'll go to the police. I swear I'll go to the police. I don't believe this young man's lies. You were in the house and you--you--you----" She choked with anger. Gertrude arose, revolted by this exhibition of sordid greed, and could not speak. I answered for her. "The jewels are gone, Miss Destiny," I said quietly. "Gone!" Her shrill voice fell to a mere whisper, and the wild light of avarice died out of her black eyes. "Gone! impossible!" then her face lighted up again fiercely. "This is a lie to cheat me of my share!" she shouted.