st about
burglars and his somewhat unnecessary threat to shoot any one who tried
to break into the house. The persistence of this remark had roused Miss
Greeby's curiosity, and noting that Silver and his host were frequently
in one another's company, she had seized her opportunity to listen. For
some time, so cautious were the plotters, she had heard nothing
particular, but after her recognition of Hearne as Pine when she visited
the gypsy camp she became aware that these secret talks were connected
with his presence. Then a chance remark of Garvington's--he was always
loose-tongued--gave her the clue, and by threats of exposure she managed
to make Silver confess the whole plot. Far from thwarting it she agreed
to let them carry it out, and promised secrecy, only extracting a
promise that she should be advised of the time and place for the
trapping of the millionaire. And it was this acquiescence of Miss
Greeby's which puzzled Lambert.

On the face of it, since she was in love with him, it was better for her
own private plans that Pine should remain alive, because the marriage
placed Agnes beyond his reach. Why, then, should Miss Greeby have
removed the barrier--and at the cost of being hanged for murder? Lambert
had asked Silver this question, but had obtained no definite answer,
since the secretary protested that she had not explained her reasons.
Jokingly referring to possible burglars, she had borrowed the revolver
from Silver which he had obtained from Garvington, and it was this
action which first led the little secretary to suspect her. Afterward,
knowing that she had met Pine in Abbot's Wood, he kept a close watch on
her every action to see if she intended to take a hand in the game. But
Silver protested that he could see no reason for her doing so, and even
up to the moment when he confessed to Lambert could not conjecture why
she had acted in such a manner.

However, it appeared that she was duly informed of the hour when Pine
would probably arrive to prevent the pretended elopement, and also
learned that he would be hanging about the blue door. When Silver
retired for the night he watched the door of her bedroom--which was in
the same wing of the mansion of his own. Also he occasionally looked out
to see if Pine had arrived, as the window of his room afforded a fair
view of the blue door and the shrubbery. For over an hour--as he told
Lambert--he divided his attention between the passage and the window. It