"Have you found her so?" demanded the vindictive aunt. "I have found her charming," was my cautious reply. "Charms don't pay taxes, Mr. Vance. I suppose," she added abruptly, "that you intend to marry her. Oh, don't look so astonished, young man. I remember how you admired her photograph in Anne's house, and you didn't come here for nothing. Oh dear me, no." "I came here to learn all I could about the glass eye, so that I might trace the assassin of Anne Caldershaw." "Oh, indeed," Miss Destiny's sharp eyes twinkled wickedly, "and you haunt my niece in order to ask questions?" "Why not?" I ventured cautiously. Miss Destiny laughed significantly. "Why not indeed," she echoed, "it's my opinion that Gertrude knows much more about the glass eye than she dares to tell you, or anyone else." My blood ran cold, for the moment. Apparently this disagreeable old woman had seen the eye on the drawing-room table, and thence had drawn the very worst conclusions. I ventured on a bold stroke. "Do you mean to say that Miss Monk has the glass eye?" "I don't say that." "Then she has not the glass eye," I said impatiently, and drawing a breath of great relief. "I don't say that either." "Then what _do_ you say, Miss Destiny." "Nothing, except that you will be wise to go away from Burwain and give up all idea of marrying my niece." "Why?" I asked very directly. "Because--as I said--Gertrude knows something about the murder." "That is a serious thing to say, Miss Destiny. On what grounds do you make such an accusation?" She made no direct reply, but rocked to and fro, "I know, I know," she said, with a cunning look, and a malicious chuckle. I ventured still further on the dangerous ground upon which I was treading. "Have you seen the glass eye in Miss Monk's possession?" "No," she said, and her reply startled me, for I had made sure that she dared to speak thus freely from having espied the object on the drawing-room table, "I never said that she had the glass eye." "Then on what grounds----" "Oh, I don't wish to say anything," she interrupted. "Having said so much, you must say more," was my firm reply, "you have no right to make dangerous accusations without proof." "Gertrude herself can supply the proof." "I would not insult her by asking her to." "No," screeched Miss Destiny, jumping to her feet like a small fury, "because you are a fool. Every man who loves is a fool. And you love Gertrude. Heaven only knows what you see in her." "I see a lovely girl and an accomplished lady, a good daughter and an honorable gentlewoman." "Four people rolled into one," sneered the spiteful little creature, quivering with wrath. "She may be lovely in your eyes--I know what fools men are--but, good and honorable she is not."