"
She smiled scornfully. "I have told you very little. But for
the rest of the information you must apply to Mrs. Octagon."
"Ah! Supposing I wish to learn who killed Emilia?"
"Mrs. Octagon can tell you!" said the woman significantly.
"Do you mean to say--"
"I say nothing. Emilia came to the factory and went out into
the open air by another exit to see if anyone was about. She
never returned and Hale and I went in search of her. We found
her dead, and--"
"I know all this. Hale confessed it. But he does not know
who killed her. Do you?"
"I can't say for certain. But I suspect Mrs. Octagon stabbed
her."
"But how could Mrs. Octagon get the knife?"
"Basil got that from Mallow's room. He gave it to his mother, and--"
"This is all theory," said Caranby angrily, "you have no
grounds."
"None at all," replied Maraquito calmly, "but if anyone had a
wish to kill my aunt, Mrs. Octagon had. Emilia kept a tight
hold over that woman, and made her do what she wished."
"About the marriage?"
"Yes, and other things. I have never been able to understand
why Aunt Emilia took such a fancy to Cuthbert and that girl.
But she certainly wished to see them married. She asked
Juliet for a photograph of your nephew, and Juliet gave her
one. I took it, and that girl Susan Grant stole it from me.
It was strange that the photograph should have gone back to
the cottage. Aunt and I quarrelled over the marriage.
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