But I'd better
get on with my confession, though it won't do you much good."
"So long as you say who killed Miss Loach--"
"Miss Loach," sneered Hale, "why not Emilia Saul?"
Jennings was almost too surprised to speak. "Do you mean to
say--"
"Yes, I do. All the time you and Miss Saxon and that idiot of
a brother thought she was Selina Loach. She wasn't, but she
was very like her. Emilia met Selina in the house that is now
burnt and pushed her off the plank. The face was disfigured
and Selina was buried as Emilia."
"Then Mrs. Octagon must know--"
"She knows a good deal. You'd better ask her for details.
Give me a sup of brandy, doctor. Yes," went on Hale, when he
felt better, "I laughed in my sleeve when I thought how Emilia
tricked you all. She was Maraquito's aunt. Her name--"
"Maraquito's name is Bathsheba Saul."
"Yes. I expect Caranby told you that. He was too clever,
that old man. I was always afraid that he would find out
about the factory. A long while ago I wished Maraquito to
give up the business and marry me. Then we would have gone to
South America and have lived in peace on no end of money.
Emilia left six thousand a year, so you may guess that
Maraquito and I made money also. But she was in love with
Mallow, and would not come away. I feared Caranby should take
it into his head to search the house--"
"Was that why you had it burnt?"
"No. Tyke did that out of revenge, because Maraquito marked
him with a knife.
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