usy have I been that there has been no time to do this."

"Thank you, Mr. Inspector, but I regret that I should have succeeded
through so tragic a death."

"Yes, yes, my lord! the feeling does you honor," Darby nodded
sympathetically; "but it must be some comfort for you to know that your
poor cousin perished when on an errand of mercy, although his aim was
not perhaps quite in accordance with strict justice."

Lambert stared. "I don't know what you mean," he remarked, being puzzled
by this coupling of Garvington's name with any good deed.

"Of course you don't, my lord. But for you to understand I had better
begin with Miss Greeby's confession. I must touch on some rather
intimate things, however," said the inspector rather shyly.

"Meaning that Miss Greeby was in love with me."

"Exactly, my lord. Her love for you--if you will excuse my mentioning so
private a subject--caused the whole catastrophe."

"Indeed," the young man felt a sense of relief, as if Darby put the
matter in this way the truth about the forged letter could scarcely have
come to light, "will you explain?"

"Certainly, my lord. Miss Greeby always wished to marry your lordship,
but she knew that you loved your wife, the present Lady Garvington, who
was then Lady Agnes Pine. She believed that you and Lady Agnes would
sooner or later run away together."

"There was no reason she should think so," said Noel, becoming scarlet.

"Of course not, my lord. Pardon me again for speaking of such very
private matters. But I can scarcely make your lordship understand how
the late Sir Hubert Pine came by his death unless I am painfully frank."

"Go on, Mr. Inspector," Noel leaned back and folded his arms. "Be frank
to the verge of rudeness, if you like."

"Oh, no, no, my lord; certainly not," Darby said in a shocked manner.
"I will be as delicate as I possibly can. Well, then, my lord, Miss
Greeby, thinking that you might elope with the then Lady Agnes Pine,
resolved to place an even greater barrier between you than the
marriage."

"What could be a possibly greater barrier?"

"Your honor, my lord, your strict sense of honor. Miss Greeby thought
that if she got rid of Sir Hubert, and Lady Agnes was in possession of
the millions, that you would never risk her losing the same for your
sake."

"She was right in supposing that, Mr. Inspector, but how did Miss Greeby
know that Lady Agnes would lose the money if she married me?"

"Sir Hubert told her so