mean, to kill the girl who stood between him and the
fortune," said Steel, raising his eyes.

Dane shook his head. "I know nothing of that," he said. "From the day
Denham left Florence my association with him has severed. I saw Miss
Anne, told her about the death of her father, and then went to America.
Denham did not pay me my annuity, and I came back to be revenged. I saw
him, but he denies having killed the girl. He says he does not know who
committed the murder. I have been earning my bread as I best can,
waiting for revenge."

"But you had only to threaten to make all this public to make Denham
give you what you wished."

"No." Dane looked uneasy. "The fact is he and some one else have a hold
over me. I need not tell you what it is, but I had to be silent."

"But now that you speak he has still the hold."

"Yes. But I intend to ruin myself in order to ruin him," cried Dane
fiercely, and rose to his feet. "Well, gentlemen, that is all I can tell
you at present. I shall go."

To Giles' surprise, Steel made no objection. "You'll come and see me
again?" he said, opening the door for Dane.

"Assuredly," replied that young gentleman, and departed.

Giles looked amazed at this permission to depart being given by the
detective. "I should have thought it would be to your interest to keep
Dane here," he said. "He has not told us everything yet."

"No," replied Steel, closing his book with a snap, "there is one very
interesting detail he has not told us. But the next time we meet I'll
get it out of him. Here," he touched the book, "there is enough to go on
with. I'll go down to the Priory and see the sick Mr. Denham."

"I'll come also and see Anne," said Giles eagerly. "But Dane?"

"He's all right. I have a couple of men waiting outside. He will be
followed everywhere. I'll be able to lay hands on him whenever I like.
Also I wish to see where he goes. He knows the various hiding-places of
this gang, and I want him to be tracked to one of them."

"H'm! Don't you believe his story?"

"Not altogether. He evidently hates Denham with all the virulent hatred
of a malicious character. He's a devil, that man Dane. I should not like
to incur his enmity. However, we'll make use of him, and then the
Princess can take him to Vienna to make trouble there, as he assuredly
will."

"What is the especial detail you want to learn?"

"I wish him to explain how he killed Daisy Kent."

"He! Dane! Do you mean to say----?"

"I