arton, without emotion. "I
always liked Anne, and for her sake I secured that confession. That,
when published, will vindicate her character. You need have no
hesitation in showing it to the police and in letting that detective
deal with it as he thinks fit. In a few days I shall be in France under
the name of Mrs. Wharton, and the past will be dead to me. Good-bye."
She held out her hand.

"Good-bye," answered Giles, shaking it heartily. "I trust you will be
happy, Mrs. Wharton."

"I shall be at peace, if nothing else," she replied, and so passed from
the room, and out of his life.

Giles showed the confession to Steel, who was delighted that the real
culprit had at last been discovered. But he was sorely disappointed at
the suicide of Denham. "It spoils the case," he said.

"You are going to bring the matter into court, then," said Giles.

"Of course. I want some reward for my labor, Mr. Ware. I'll break up
that gang. I must publish this confession in order to save your future
wife from further blame. Not that it will matter much," he added, "for
Miss Denham--I should rather say Miss Franklin--has gone to Styria with
her mother and half-sister."

"I know," answered Giles quietly. "I join them there in a week."

"Well, Mr. Ware, I congratulate you, and I hope you'll have a good time.
You deserve it from the way in which you have worked over this case."

"What about yourself, Steel?"

"Oh, I'm all right. Dane, Morley, and Denham are dead, which is a pity,
as they are the chief villains of the play. Still, I'll contrive to
punish those others and get some kudos out of the business. And I must
thank you, Mr. Ware, for that reward."

"It was Miss Anne's idea," replied Ware. "She will soon be put in
possession of her money, and asked me to give you the reward. It is half
from her and half from me."

"And I believed her guilty," said Steel regretfully; "but I'll make
amends, Mr. Ware. I'll keep her name out of this business as much as I
can, consistently with the evidence."

Steel was as good as his word. The thieves were tried, but Anne was not
mentioned in connection with their robberies. As regards the murder, the
confession of Morley was made public and every one knew that Anne was
guiltless. In fact, she was applauded for the way in which she had
helped her supposed father to escape. The papers called the whole
episode romantic, but the papers never knew the entire truth, nor that
Anne was the daughter of