Miss Hargone was a woman of twenty-seven, good-looking and extremely clever. She had been engaged to teach Maria English when the young girl first arrived from Lima, and had stayed nearly two years at Wray House. Then she had announced that Maria spoke the Anglo-Saxon tongue excellently well, and that, as there was no necessity for further teaching, she Miss Hargone, would seek another situation. Everyone in the house had protested against this, for Lydia was a general favourite and Maria was quite overcome with grief at the thought of losing her. However, Miss Hargone had her own way, as usual, and had departed some three months before the death of Grent, when the tragic circumstance and the urgent message of her former pupil recalled her to Wray House. It is to Miss Hargone's credit that she accepted the invitation at once, and strove in every way to pacify Donna Inez, and lighten the domestic burdens of Donna Maria. Things were in this position when Torry, accompanied by Darrel, paid a visit to the house of the dead man. And that visit was the first step in the dark and tortuous path which led to the discovery of the truth. At first Darrel had been unwilling to come, or even to continue his partnership with the detective in following up the various clues now in their possession. He excused himself on the ground of incapabilities. "I cannot assist you in any way," he urged. "I see now that the unravelling of an actual criminal problem is far more difficult and complex than I thought. I have not your indomitable perseverance, and the rebuffs which never daunt you, make me nervous and doubtful." "Nonsense! nonsense!" cried Torry cheerfully. "I've set my heart on your going through with this. After all, why should you be discouraged; we have found out a good deal." "Have we?" said Darrel sceptically. "Of course. We have learnt that the dead man's name was Jesse Grent; that he was attempting to fly with a woman and ten thousand pounds, and that he was killed, probably by the lover of the woman whose name we have yet to discover. Also, we have learnt that the stolen money belongs to a secret society who use the image of a Blue Mummy as a token. Come now, I think all these discoveries are very encouraging." "They would be if you could prove them," replied Darrel, "but you are mingling fact and fancy. You cannot prove that Grent stole the money, and, indeed, on the face of it--if Vass is to be believed--he is innocent. Also you cannot say for certain if Grent intended to fly with a woman, or that he was killed by her lover. Finally, although I admit on the authority of Manuel that a secret society exists we don't know its aims, nor do we know that the Blue Mummy has anything to do with it." "So there, now," cried Torry smiling, "you knock down my fine castle of cards with your relentless logic. Never mind, build it up with future discoveries, stronger than ever. Come and help me to lay the first card." "The first card?"