"Precisely. Joe knew little of the events of that night; but he believed in me, and stood by me like the noble, faithful fellow he is. But to continue: Zelia arrived at my house only to die; worry and melancholy had brought her to a low state of health, and she caught a fever. On the very night Jean and her husband came in pursuit she died. I had made all arrangements to sail; I had sold my estate, and had sent the proceeds to England. It had been my intention to have married Zelia when Achille had divorced her, to adopt little Marie, and to start life afresh in a new land. Her death put an end to these plans." "But the murder, Beauchamp?" "I am coming to that. Warrender was attending Zelia when she died, and he was in the house when Achille and Jean arrived. I was quite determined he should not get the child; for Zelia had left some money, and I knew well that Achille would soon squander it. Well, Lestrange demanded his wife. I told him she was dead; he declined to believe me, and we quarreled. I am naturally of a fiery temper," continued Beauchamp with some agitation, "and I knocked him down on the veranda. The blow stunned him, and he lay there like a dog." "Was Jean present?" "Yes. He saw me knock Achille down; then he went away to see the body of Zelia. I had to look for the child, intending to take her to my yacht until such time as I could obtain the guardianship. When I came out again I found Warrender kneeling down beside the body of Achille. He was dead!" "Not from the effects of your blow?" cried Alan incredulously. "No. He had been stabbed to the heart while senseless." "By whom--Warrender?" "I don't know. Warrender always swore that his hands were clean of blood, and certainly he had no reason to murder Achille. I suspected Jean, but Warrender told me that Jean had been in Zelia's room praying beside the body. He advised me to fly." "Yes, yes; but who killed Achille?" "Well, I supposed it must have been a negro whom Achille had brought with him--a Zambo, called Scipio, who was devoted to his mistress and who hated his master. On hearing that Zelia was dead--knowing, as he did, that her husband's brutality had probably had a good deal to do with it--he might have stabbed Achille as he lay senseless on the veranda. At any rate, Warrender said that he found him dead when he came out. To this day I don't know who killed him. It must have been either Warrender, Scipio, or Jean. I am inclined to suspect Scipio. However, at the time there was nothing for it but flight if I wanted to escape an accusation of murder. You see bow strong the evidence was against me, Alan. I had taken away Achille's wife and child; he had come in pursuit; I had quarreled with him and knocked him down; he had been found dead. Therefore I fled with the child. Can you blame me?" "No," said Alan decisively. "Under the circumstances, I don't see what else you could do. So you escaped?"