"Much can be done with money," said Tod dryly, "and Rebb has six
thousand a year at his command. Besides, even if he could find no
doctor to swear to her insanity, the mere rumor of such a thing would
prevent any man from marrying her."
"I am not so certain of that," said Gerald grimly. "As you said just
now, much can be done with money. However, Rebb won't have a chance of
working out his rascally plot, whether he means murder or not. I shall
go to Devonshire and interview him, and----"
"How do you know that he is there?" questioned Tod quickly.
The question recalled Haskins to a sense of his folly in trusting the
widow with his secret. "I have made a fool of myself Macandrew," he
remarked soberly, and resumed his seat, "it is my belief that Mrs.
Crosbie has put Rebb on his guard, and that Rebb has gone down to
Denleigh to thwart my plans for carrying off Mavis."
"Mrs. Crosbie! Jerry, I warned you."
"I know that, and I wish I had taken your warning. Listen!" And Gerald
related his interview with the widow, ending with an emphatic
declaration that he did not believe she had kept her promise of
secrecy.
Macandrew nodded, as he quite agreed with him. "As Mrs. Crosbie is
engaged to Rebb, she will not wish him to lose his income, so----"
"Do you think she knows of Rebb's position?"
"Of course. She may not have known it before you confided in her, but
she certainly would demand an explanation from the Major, in spite of
her promise, when she heard that he was keeping a pretty girl shut up.
Mrs. Crosbie is a woman, and as a woman is jealous, Rebb would be
forced to tell the truth--that is, how his income depends upon Mavis
being imprisoned. When Mrs. Crosbie knew that, she certainly would do
all she could to prevent you marrying the girl."
"But Madge has always been my friend," protested Haskins.
"Friendship goes when money is in question," retorted Tod. "I told you
that I suspected the widow of being hard up. If I am right, she is
marrying Rebb for the money, and both she and he will do all they can
to keep that six thousand a year. But," added Tod slowly, "I do not
think there will be any murder needed. The insanity rumor is enough to
prevent a possible marriage."
"Not with me," raged Gerald, jumping up once more.
"Quite so. Therefore Rebb, on his guard, has gone to Devonshire to
work against you."
"I'll follow by the first morning train."
"Take care, Haskins," warned the solicitor. "Rebb is dangerous. A man
who would act as he has done will not stick at a trifle. If there is
to be murder, you will be the victim."
Gerald held his head very high. "I am not so easily got rid of," he
remarked quietly. "However, Mrs. Crosbie and her mother are at Bognor,
so they are out of the way. Now I don't like doing underhand things.
Tod, as you know, but in this case it seems necessary that these two
women should be watched to see if Rebb goes down to see them at
Bognor."