"That was never discovered. He went to a masked ball and was seen leaving the room in the company of a blue domino. His body was found on the stones of the beach early next morning. He had been stabbed to the heart." "With a stiletto?" asked Brendon, recollecting the manner of Mrs. Jersey's death. "Yes. Hence it was supposed that he had been stabbed by some jealous Italian, who had followed him and the lady. But the truth was never known. I think myself that Vane was murdered on the parade and that his body was thrown over onto the beach. The man who killed him must then have taken away the lady." "Who was the lady--the blue domino?" "No one ever learned. She was cloaked and masked. Your father was a gay man, George, and it was rumored that he was in love with the wife of a certain officer. It might be that the husband--but of course I cannot say. The blue domino may not have been the woman in question. The whole thing is a mystery. Your father's body was taken to England, and as Lord Derrington refused to acknowledge the marriage, Lockwood took charge of you." "I remember, and Jane Fraser was my nurse for many years. She was at San Remo when the murder took place?" "Yes, and so was Eliza Stokes." "What was she doing there?" "Well, this waiter--by the way, his name was George also, although you were called after Lockwood's father--well, George Rates, seeing that Eliza was dismissed, got her a situation at a hotel in San Remo. He came there also during the season, and I believe the two married. But Eliza Stokes never came near your father." "What became of her afterward?" Ireland hesitated. "I can't say," he said. "But I can," observed George, coolly. "She was murdered the other day at the Amelia Square house as Mrs. Jersey." "I heard of that crime. But how do you identify Eliza Stokes with Mrs. Jersey?" "My old nurse, Jane Fraser, told me. When I began these inquiries I looked up Jane, who now lives in a little Essex village. She told me all she could, which was not much. But she stated that when here one day, on a visit to you, she had met Eliza Stokes and in spite of her age and gray hairs she had recognized her. Eliza told her that she was called Mrs. Jersey and had taken a boarding-house in Amelia Square. I then determined to speak to Mrs. Jersey, whom I thought might have been present at the marriage, or at all events might know where it had been celebrated." "It is probable she did," said Ireland, "as she was with your mother as maid when the elopement took place. Did you see Mrs. Jersey, or Eliza Stokes as I still regard her?" "I saw her, but she was murdered before I could manage to speak to her on the subject. Did you know----" "I know that Eliza Stokes had changed her name to Mrs. Jersey and was in Amelia Square," said Ireland, "but I only learned this the other day." "Who told you?" "A woman called Miss Bull," said Ireland.