I never loved her nor she me. She exercised a kind
of hypnotic influence over me, and I dare say I would have
married her. But her heart I am sure was always in the
coining business."
"You are quite right," said Maraquito, looking keenly at him,
"though I can't guess how you came to think so, seeing you
thought my aunt dead. Yes, she loved coining. When I grew up
she sent for me and for Daniel Saul--"
"Who is he? Another of your precious family."
"A distant cousin. You know him best as Hale the lawyer."
"Oh, indeed," said Caranby, considerably surprised, "and what
did Emilia do with you two?"
"She got us to help her to coin. We made use of your house.
I need not tell you how we dug the tunnel and arranged the
factory. Emilia knew that you would not disturb the house--"
"I was a sentimental fool. If I had been wiser you would not
have carried on your wickedness for so long."
"Oh, we have other factories," said Maraquito coolly,
"Jennings has not discovered everything. But your house was
certainly an ideal place. I can't understand how Jennings
learned about the secret--"
"The entrance. He learned that from plans left by Maxwell who
designed the same. Emilia poisoned him."
"She did--to preserve her secret. Hale and I thought it was
unwise; he would have joined us. But it was all for the
best."
"Apparently you think so," returned Caranby, looking at her
with abhorrence, "seeing you poisoned Tyke in the same way.
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