"And did not succeed in inducing you to marry her. But had she
succeeded, Emilia would have stopped the marriage. Emilia loved you."
"No," said Caranby coldly, "she loved my title and my name and wealth.
I never loved her nor she me. She exercised a kind of hypnotic
influence over me, and I dare say I would have married her. But her
heart I am sure was always in the coining business."
"You are quite right," said Maraquito, looking keenly at him, "though I
can't guess how you came to think so, seeing you thought my aunt dead.
Yes, she loved coining. When I grew up she sent for me and for Daniel
Saul--"
"Who is he? Another of your precious family."
"A distant cousin. You know him best as Hale the lawyer."
"Oh, indeed," said Caranby, considerably surprised, "and what did
Emilia do with you two?"
"She got us to help her to coin. We made use of your house. I need not
tell you how we dug the tunnel and arranged the factory. Emilia knew
that you would not disturb the house--"
"I was a sentimental fool. If I had been wiser you would not have
carried on your wickedness for so long."
"Oh, we have other factories," said Maraquito coolly, "Jennings has not
discovered everything. But your house was certainly an ideal place. I
can't understand how Jennings learned about the secret--"
"The entrance. He learned that from plans left by Maxwell who designed
the same. Emilia poisoned him."
"She did--to preserve her secret. Hale and I thought it was unwise; he
would have joined us. But it was all for the best."
"Apparently you think so," returned Caranby, looking at her with
abhorrence, "seeing you poisoned Tyke in the same way."
"Hale did that and I agreed. It was necessary," said the woman coldly,
"but you appear to know all about the matter."
"Jennings has told me everything. Even to the fact, which he learned
from Hale that you rang that bell."
"I did. I knew Juliet Saxon was in the room, and I wished to get her
arrested. She left the house and I rang the bell as soon as I could
get away from Hale, who did not wish me to draw attention to the
murder. But Juliet was too far away by that time to be caught."
"Why did you wish to hang the poor girl?"
"Because I loved Cuthbert. I would have hanged her with pleasure,"
said Maraquito vindictively. "I hate her!"
"Then why do you wish to see her to-day?"
"To tell her that I give up your nephew."
"That is not in accordance with the sentiments you expressed now."