When she was gone, Jennings went into the next room to find
Cuthbert smoking. He jumped up when he saw the detective.
"Well, has that silly girl gone?" he asked angrily.
"Yes, poor soul. You needn't get in a wax, Mallow. The girl
can't help falling in love with you. Poor people have
feelings as well as rich."
"I know that, but it's ridiculous: especially as I never saw
the girl before, and then I love only Juliet."
"You are sure of that?"
"Jennings"
"There--there, don't get angry. We must get to the bottom
of this affair which is getting more complicated every day.
Did you give that photograph to Senora Gredos?"
"To Maraquito. No, I didn't. I gave it to Juliet."
"You are certain?"
"Positive! I can't make out how it came into Maraquito's
house."
Jennings pondered. "Perhaps Basil may have given it to her.
It is to his interest on behalf of his mother to make trouble
between you and Miss Saxon. Moreover, if it is as I surmise,
it shows that Mrs. Octagon intended to stop the marriage, if
she could, even before her sister died."
"Ah! And it shows that the death of Miss Loach gave her a
chance of asserting herself and stopping the marriage."
"Well, she might have hesitated to do that before, as Miss
Loach might not have left her fortune to Juliet if the
marriage did not take place."
Cuthbert nodded and spoke musingly: "After all, the old woman
liked me, and I was the nephew of the man who loved her in her
youth.
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