"That certainly, but it is something of an excuse. I also want you--and this is the main reason--to guard him." "Against whom? What are you hinting at?" asked Herrick sharply. "At Frisco," was the unexpected reply. "Oh, you may look astonished, but if you remember the will?--well?" "The will," repeated Dr. Jim, "I see what you mean. The money goes to Frisco if Stephen should neglect to visit the vault monthly for a year. What of that?" "This much. Frisco killed Colonel Carr. Oh, I am sure of it! If not, why did he fly? Besides there is no one else I can think of who had an interest in Carr's death. I do not know what secrets he had, but what there were Frisco knew. That was why Carr left the money to him failing Stephen." "Nonsense. If Frisco possessed Colonel Carr's secrets he could have blackmailed him without the necessity of murder." "Ah, you don't know," said Mrs. Marsh mysteriously. "I have heard Frisco and Carr quarrel. It is my belief--if you remember Napper's evidence that they quarrelled on the night of the murder. They must have fought a duel, which is just what two devils like them would do. Frisco killed his master before he could fire a shot. That is why all the chambers of the revolver were found loaded. Well, Frisco has had to fly; but he will not give up his chance of getting the money. No! He will," here Mrs. Marsh bent forward to whisper, "he will try and maim or kill Stephen so that he may not fulfil the conditions of the will--and visit the vault. Then Frisco will claim the money. I have thought this all out while lying here." "It is ingenious," replied Herrick, "but you forget that if Frisco shows himself, he will be arrested. That stops his attempting to harm Stephen." Mrs. Marsh shook her head. "You do not know Frisco; I do," she said: and not another word could Herrick extract from her. CHAPTER VI "THE CHANGELING" While the tower at "The Pines" was being pulled down, Stephen paid frequent visits to Saxham. Sometimes Dr. Herrick went with him, and together they would go through that wonderful house. Marsh had never before been inside it, and he was amazed at the luxury. His life had been so simple, so deprived of all beauty, that his artistic temperament had been starved from lack of nutriment. Highly gifted with the imaginative faculty, possessed of a keen perception of loveliness, Stephen revelled in the beautiful things which filled every corner of the house. "You will have to get a wife to share it all," said Herrick one day after his conversation with Mrs. Marsh. He looked keenly at the young man as he spoke. Stephen however betrayed no emotion. "I suppose I shall have to marry some day," he said coolly. "If I were to die without children my cousin would get the property." "I did not know you had a cousin?" said Herrick, rather astonished.