I got my finger inside the slipknot, and I held
him by the throat. When I could breathe, I lifted him up and threw him
into the marshes. There I left him. It seems the fall killed him.
That is the whole story. It was absolutely God's justice, but I am
quite aware that the laws of the country do not exactly favour such
summary treatment. Accordingly I held my peace. I am sorry for it
now."

"And Mr. Drew Foster?"

"Had left the Savoy Hotel when I reached there," Ray said drily, "and
had omitted to leave an address."

"You might have trusted me," I remarked, thoughtfully.

"If I had known you as well then as I do now," Ray answered, "I would
have risked it."

Then as we sat in silence there came a low tapping at the door. Ray
looked at me keenly.

"Who visits you at this hour?" he asked.

"We will see," I answered.

I had meant to be careful whom I admitted, but I had scarcely withdrawn
the latch when the door was pushed open, and a slim, thickly-cloaked
figure glided past me into the room. I knew her by the supple swiftness
of her movements. Ray sat still, and smoked with the face of a Sphinx.

I think that at first she did not see him. She swept round upon me and
raised her veil.

"Guy," she cried, "forgive me, but I could not help it. I have made a
mummy of myself, and I have walked along those awful sands that I might
not be seen; but there is a question--"

She saw Ray. The words died from her lips. She stood and shivered like
a trapped bird. He removed his pipe from his teeth.

"Go on," he said mildly. "Don't mind me. Perhaps I can help Mr.
Ducaine to answer it."

She sank into a chair. Her eyes seemed to implore me to protect her. I
heard Ray's little snort of contempt; but I answered her kindly. I
could not help it.

"I am sorry that you came," I said, "but, of course, I will answer any
question you want to ask me. Don't hurry! You are out of breath. Let
me give you some wine."

My own untasted liqueur was on the table by the side of my empty coffee
cup. I made her drink it, and her teeth ceased to chatter. She was
rather a pathetic object. One of her little black satin slippers was
cut to shreds, and the other was clogged with wet sand. The fear of
Ray, too, was in her white face. She caught hold of my hand
impulsively.

"The man," she murmured, "whom you found--what was he like?"

"He was a small dark man."

She laughed hysterically.

"He," she exclaimed, "was over six feet, and broad