" Here Dane paused and sighed. "The blow
killed her."

"She died of a broken heart, I suppose?"

"Yes, of a broken heart. Then I went back with Morley to the old life
like a whipped dog. But I vowed revenge. I intend to have it now." And
he set his teeth determinedly.

Giles was sorry for the young man. He appeared to have some good in him
when he felt the death of his mother, and the cause of it, so deeply.
But Ware could not help remembering that Dane had murdered Daisy Kent.
But for the fact that they relied on Dane to distinguish _The Red Cross_
under her disguise, he would not have been allowed to come. But Steel
thought it was best to catch Morley first and then have Dane arrested
for the crime. He advised Giles to say nothing about it, lest it should
arouse the suspicions of Dane. But on board _The Firefly_ there was no
escape for the man, and after the previous conversation Giles began to
wonder if Dane really was guilty, despite the belief of Steel and the
evidence of Denham. He resolved to set his doubts at rest.

"Dane," he said, after a pause, "you appear to have much good in you,
and the Princess Olga is anxious to save you from yourself. Since you
are helping us to break up this gang and catch Morley, who appears to be
the arch-criminal, I am willing to do what I can to save you from the
law. But there is another crime----"

"What particular crime do you mean, sir?" asked Dane quietly.

"The murder of Miss Kent."

Dane started. "Do you believe that I had anything to do with that?"

"Why not? You were at Rickwell on the night it was committed."

"I was. I came over from the yacht at Gravesend to tell Morley she was
waiting his orders there, and to tell Denham also. He had appointed a
meeting there for me. I came on a motor-bicycle. What of that?"

"A man called Scott told Steel that you were in Rickwell."

"I admit it. I know Scott. He has turned King's evidence. It seems to
me, sir, that the whole lot of us will be pardoned if we are so anxious
to betray one another. But this crime----"

"Denham says you killed the girl."

Dane sprang to his feet with flashing eyes. "I swear by all that I hold
most holy that I did not touch the girl," he declared. "I never even set
eyes on her. Denham accuses me--yes, because I have told the truth about
him. I came on that night and saw Morley and him at the window of the
library in Morley's house. When I gave my message about the yacht I
returned to Tilbury