they both seemed to regard somewhat
cynically--and she had resumed her first husband's name. She admitted
that she had helped him to blackmail me, but apparently she herself had
handled little enough of the loot. She was vicious enough about it. I
gave her a cheque and induced her to come to London. I had it in mind to
stop this blackmail before I was married.

"As I expected, Goldenburg was not long in scenting profit. He descended
on me ravenously. I told him that I would pay him ten thousand pounds if
he would put all the letters he possessed in my hands but that I would
not otherwise buy his silence. He could see that I was in earnest, and
asked for time to consider. I gave him till the night before my wedding.
I said nothing of the Princess Petrovska. I knew that they would meet.
One cannot be too scrupulous in dealing with a scoundrel, and she had
her instructions--to steal the letters from him if necessary, while
pretending that she was only anxious to join forces with him in looting
me.

"But all her efforts went for nothing. He recognised the value of her
co-operation in the circumstances, but would give her no hint of the
place where he had concealed the letters. Time drew on. You will know
enough of her to recognise Lola as a clever, resolute woman. She made up
her mind to accompany Goldenburg to his appointment with me as a last
resort. It was to keep that appointment that I left Ralph Fairfield at
the club the night before the wedding--the night of the murder."

He breathed heavily. Thornton picked up a piece of paper and crumbled it
nervously between his lean hands. Foyle, eager and alert, was leaning
forward, anxious not to miss a word. A great deal of what had been
obscure was being cleared up. But so far nothing that Grell had said but
could be interpreted as a motive--and a singularly strong one--which
might in other circumstances weave a hangman's rope about his own neck.

"You did not want any one to know that you were absent from the club,"
remarked Foyle. "Why?"

"That was merely a matter of precaution. I wanted my interview with
Goldenburg to be secret. I had given Goldenburg a note which would
ensure his being shown to my study and I was purposely a bit late for
the appointment. I wanted to give the Princess Petrovska all the
opportunities possible. But when I reached there it was clear to me that
she had failed. He had not brought the letters with him. I got rid of
the woman, and Goldenbur