was too full to think of anything else
besides the peril of the one whom I loved.

I know that the verdict returned by the jury was one of "Wilful murder."
Then I went out into the fading light of that brief London day, and,
seeking Edwards, walked at his side towards the busy Kensington High
Street.

We had not met for several days, and he, of course, had no knowledge of
my visit to Brussels. Our greeting was a cordial one, whereupon I asked
him what was contained in the anonymous letter addressed to "The Yard"?

"Ah! Mr. Royle. It's very curious," he said. "The Coroner has it at this
moment, or I'd show it to you. The handwriting is a woman's, and it has
been posted at Colchester."

"At Colchester!" I echoed in dismay.

"Yes, why?" he asked, looking at me in surprise.

"Oh, nothing. Only--well, Colchester is a curious place for anyone to
live who knows the truth about an affair in Kensington," was my reply,
for fortunately I quickly recovered myself.

"Why not Colchester as well as Clapham--eh?"

"Yes, of course," I laughed. "But, tell me, what does the woman say?"

"She simply declares that she can elucidate the mystery and give us the
correct clue--even bring evidence if required--as to the actual person
who committed the crime, if we, on our part, will pay for the
information."

"And what shall you do?" I asked eagerly.

"I don't exactly know. The letter only arrived this morning. To-morrow
the Council of Seven will decide what action we take."

"Does the woman give her name?" I asked with affected carelessness.

"No. She only gives the name of 'G. Payne,' and the address as 'The
G.P.O., London.' She's evidently a rather cute person."

"G. Payne"--the woman Petre without a doubt.

I recollected her telegram asking me to meet her. She had said that
something had "happened," and she had urged me to see her as soon as
possible. Was it because I had not replied that she had penned that
anonymous letter to the police?

The letter bore the Colchester post-mark, and she, I knew, lived at
Melbourne House in that town.

"I suppose you will get into communication with her," I exclaimed
presently.

"Of course. Any line of action in the elucidation of the mystery is worth
trying. But what I cannot quite understand is, why she requires
blood-money," remarked the detective as we strolled together in the
arcaded entrance to the Underground Station at High Street, Kensington.
"I always look askance at such