"And he would have," Rupert, broke off grimly to explain, "I should have shaken the life out of him. However, to continue," and he again began to read this highly interesting letter. "I therefore agreed to marry her, but always sought an opportunity of escape. During one of my insensible fits after a bout of opium smoking. Miss Pewsey took the key from my watch chain and opening the cabinet gained possession of the fan. I denied this to Major Tidman at Miss Pewsey's behest, or else Miss Pewsey would have denounced me." "Not she," said Rodgers, chuckling, "she would have lost her husband had she done so." "She has lost him in any case," said Olivia, "but I can tell you what is in the rest of the letter, as I see Rupert is tired of reading. Miss Pewsey gave the fan to Clarence to give to me----" "To win your favour," said Rupert. "No. To bring about my death. Miss Pewsey thought if I was out of the way, she would get Aunt Sophia to leave her the money." "What a wicked woman," said Lo-Keong, "we have none such in China." "Well," went on Olivia rapidly, "Miss Pewsey wrote to the Marquis saying the fan was in England--" "Here is the letter," said Rodgers nodding towards the epistle. "Yes. How strange I should see it almost immediately after Dr. Forge wrote," said Mrs. Ainsleigh innocently. "Miss Pewsey laid her plans well," said Rupert, looking again at the letter, "she intended to tell Hwei that Olivia had the fan so that she should be killed. But Olivia refused the fan, and Miss Pewsey made Clarence give it to Miss Wharf, so that the poor lady might be killed. But Miss Pewsey delayed the death at the hands of Hwei by holding her tongue, till a will was made in her favour. Chance favoured her, for she got the will altered." "By learning of our marriage when she played the spy," said Olivia. "Quite so," said Ainsleigh, "she then read the advertisement and knew that the two men, Hwei and Tung-yu, were in England. She wrote and told them that Miss Wharf had the fan. The letter was sent shortly before the ball, and after the new will was made. Tung-yu, therefore, came down to the ball to get the fan. This was not what Miss Pewsey wanted, as she desired Hwei to kill the woman." "She knew about the god Kwang-ho, then?" asked Lo-Keong. "I think so, but Forge isn't clear on that point. However, he declared that he does not know who killed Miss Wharf, nor who has the fan. He was told by Clarence, how he,--Burgh, had accused him to the Chinamen, and then grew fearful. Also, he heard that the Marquis was in England, and so he knew the whole story would come out. As he dreaded arrest, he fled." "But he could have prevented Burgh from speaking," said Olivia, "you know, Rupert, how Mr. Burgh told you that Forge knew things about him."