"Ah, but there are other eyes one has to consider," said Emily in a shrewd manner. "You had better speak plainly." "I will, if you promise to hold your tongue. If what I am about to say gets abroad, farewell to the money and to my resuming my title." "It's nothing wrong, I hope," faltered Emily, rather taken aback by this earnestness. "Although I am not a prude I should never think of doing anything to----" "No, no! All I ask you to do is to give me some information." "Information! Good gracious! what information can I give you?" "Bocaros rose and began to walk with his hands in his pockets. I suppose you remember the White Room crime," he said slowly. Miss Doon shrieked. "Oh, don't talk of it, baron. It has ruined my nerves. I can't----" The professor interrupted ruthlessly. "Has it ruined the nerves of your mistress?" he asked sharply. Emily sat up and became more of a servant and an artful woman. "What's that?" "Must I put the matter plainly?" sneered the professor? "Yes," she replied quietly, "if you wish me to understand." "Then I will. The woman who was murdered was my cousin. She left me ten thousand a year--hush, don't interrupt. Arnold Calvert, however, got round her in some way and she altered her will, leaving the money, which was rightfully mine, to him. I hate him, and I want half the money at least. I have reason to believe that he killed this woman--hush, don't interrupt--and if I can bring the crime home to him, I can make him hush it up by his giving me five thousand a year. If you will help me to prove his guilt, I will marry you and make you a baroness as soon as the income is safe." "Emily stared, and in her clever mind calculated the chances of benefiting by this confidence. I don't see how I can help," she said, to gain time. "I do. Did you read the case as reported in the papers?" "Yes. But it said nothing about Mr. Calvert." "He was the young man who spoke to the constable. Now, when he left the house my cousin was lying dead in the White Room, and a woman, to distract the attention of the police, was singing. The song that she sung is a favourite of Mrs. Fane's." Emily now began to see whither these remarks tended. "Yes?" "Yes!" repeated the professor impatiently. "Is that all you have to say? Do you not understand?" "No, I don't, really, I don't." "Bah!" he turned his back roughly on her. "You are of no use to me." "But I may be," said Miss Doon meaningly. "Yes. If you like. Do you know what I want?" "You want to make out that Mrs. Fane was singing in the room." Bocaros nodded. "I know Mrs. Fane was supposed to be at the seaside. But you told Jasher that you did something for Mrs. Fane, and would not betray her. What was it you did?" "I said I would not betray her," said Emily, not seeing how the affair would turn out to her advantage. "Then you will never be my wife." "If you loved me----"