"You told me all this before," interposed Allen, who began to think his father was merely playing with him. "I'll come to the point presently," said Hill with great dignity; "let me say, Allen, that although I hated Strode, and had good cause too--yes, very good cause--I liked Eva. When you wished to marry her, I was pleased. She wrote to her father about the marriage. He sent her a cablegram saying he was coming home----" "And when he did arrive at Southampton he told her she was not to think of the marriage." "He told me also," said Hill, "and long before. He wrote from the Cape telling me he would not allow you to marry Eva." "Allow me!" said Allen indignantly. "Yes, and told me I was to stop the marriage. I wrote, and urged the advisability of the match. When Strode reached Southampton, he wrote again saying he intended Eva to marry Lord Saltars---" "Did he make any mention of money?" "No. He simply said that if I did not stop the marriage he would disgrace me," here Hill changed colour, and looked furtively at both his listeners. "How disgrace you?" asked Mask sharply. "I shan't tell you that," was the dogged reply, "all you need know is, that Strode could disgrace me. I--I--made a mistake when I was a young man," said Hill, casting down his eyes, so as not to meet the honest gaze of his son, "and Strode took advantage of it. He made me sign a document confessing what I had done----" "And what in heaven's name had you done?" questioned Allen, much troubled. "That's my business. I shan't say--it has nothing to do with you," said Hill hurriedly, "but Strode had the document and always carried it about with him. I wanted to get it and destroy it, so I asked him when he came to Wargrove to meet me at the Red Deeps, and then I would tell him how the marriage with you could be prevented. I also said that I knew something about Lord Saltars----" "What is that?" "Nothing," said Hill, this time frankly. "I really knew nothing, but I wanted Strode to come to the Red Deeps. He made an appointment to meet me there on Wednesday at nine." "In that case, why did he wire to Eva he would be down on Thursday?" "Because he wanted to come down quietly to see me. And," added Hill hesitating, "he had to see some one else. I don't know who, but he hinted that he had to see some one." "When you spoke to him at the Red Deeps?" "Yes. I went there on Wednesday and he was waiting. It was getting dark, but we saw plainly enough. I urged him to give up the document. He refused, and told me that he required more money. I grew angry and left him." "Alive?" "Yes. But I had your revolver with me, Allen. I took it with the idea of shooting Strode, if he didn't give up the document----" "Oh," cried Allen, shrinking back. It seemed horrible to hear his father talk like this. "But you didn't----"