"Torry," cried Frank, who was moved by the obvious distress of the girl, "this lady is ill. You can question her another time." "I intend to question her now." "You shall not do so unless she consents." "Oh," said Torry, sneering, "of course, if Miss Sandoval is afraid--" "I afraid?" interrupted Maria, her courage and coolness coming back at the contemptuous word. "Enough, sir. I shall remain and answer any questions you choose to put to me." She seated herself like a queen about to receive the homage of courtiers, but found time to flash a glance of gratitude on Darrel for his championship. The young man felt his pulses thrill at the look in those glorious dark eyes, and sat down with rapidly-beating pulses. Torry the cold-blooded, long past the age of sentiment, merely nodded in dry approval of the lady's sense, and produced his notebook in order to set down her replies. "Why did you faint at the sight of the Blue Mummy, miss?" "Because it is connected in my mind with Mr. Grent, and the memory of his tragic death was too much for my nerves." "What had Mr. Grent to do with the mummy?" "I don't know. One day I saw an image, such as the one you shewed me, on his desk. I asked him what it was, and he explained that it was the symbol of a society." "Of a _secret_ society?" "Yes." "Let us say of a Peruvian secret society." Maria hesitated. "Mr. Grent said that the image came from Peru, but he did not explain that the society belonged to the same place." "What do you know about this society?" "Nothing more than I have told you." "But you are a native of Peru, miss?" "I am; the daughter of Mrs. Grent's brother, and born in Lima. I came over to England to be a companion to my aunt." "Then you must have heard about this secret society in your native land?" "You mistake, sir," replied Donna Maria coldly. "I heard nothing." "Was no mention made of the Blue Mummy?" "Not in my hearing. My sole knowledge of the image you speak of was gained from Mr. Grent." "You have told me everything?" he said. "Everything." Torry reflected. "Do you know if Mr. Grent was mixed up with this society in any way?" "He never said so. I cannot say." "Well," said Torry, rather disappointed at the failure of his efforts, "let us return to the subject of your maid. Her name was Julia Brawn?" "It was." "How long was she in your service?" "Close on a year." "When did she leave you?" "About a week before the murder of Mr. Grent." "You dismissed her?" "No," said Maria calmly; "She was an excellent servant, and I was sorry to lose her. She left me of her own free will." "For what reason?" "I understood she was about to be married." "Aha!" murmured Torry, "so there was a lover after all, and I daresay he killed Grent out of jealousy. Perhaps Julia is not so much an accomplice as a victim." He thought for a few moments, then continued his examination. "Do you know the name of the man she intended to marry?" "No; I never heard her mention his name."