eheld a thin
white face with two brilliant black eyes.

"This is a trap," said Mrs. Clear, hoarsely, looking from the one to the
other. "Who are you?"

"I," said Lucian, politely, "I am the man who met your husband
before----"

"My husband! I have my husband in an asylum. You can't have met him!"

"You are telling a falsehood," said Diana fiercely. "The gentleman in
the asylum of Dr. Jorce is not your husband, but my father!"

"Your father? And who are you?"

"I am Diana Vrain."

Mrs. Clear gave a screech, and dropped back on to the sofa, staring at
Diana with wide-open and terrified eyes.

"And now, Mrs. Clear, I see you realise the situation," Lucian said
coldly. "You must confess your share in this conspiracy."

"What conspiracy?" she interrupted furiously.

"The putting of Mr. Vrain into an asylum, and the passing off of your
husband, Michael Clear, as him."

"I don't know anything about it."

"Come, now, you talk nonsense! If you refuse to speak I'll have you
arrested at once."

"Arrest me!" She bounded off the sofa with flashing eyes.

"Yes, on a charge of conspiracy. It is no use your getting angry, Mrs.
Clear, for it won't improve your position. We--that is, this lady and
myself--wish to know, firstly, how your husband came to be masquerading
as Mr. Vrain; secondly, where we can find the man called Wrent, who
employed your husband; and thirdly, Mrs. Clear, we wish to know, and the
law wishes to know, who killed your husband."

"I don't know who killed him," said the woman, looking rather afraid,
"but I believe Wrent did."

"Who is Wrent?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know many things," said Diana, taking part in the
conversation, "but you must tell us what you do know, otherwise I shall
call in a policeman and have you arrested."

"You can't prove anything against me."

"I think I can," said Lucian in the most cheerful manner. "I can prove
that you were in No. 13 of this Square, seeing your husband, for I found
on the fence dividing the back yard of that house from one in Jersey
Street a scrap of a veil such as you wear. Also the landlady and servant
can prove that you called on Mr. Wrent several times, and were with him
on the night of the murder. Then there is the evidence of your cloak,
which you left behind, and which Wrent gave to the servant Rhoda. Also
the evidence of Signor Ferruci----"

"Ferruci! What has he said about me?"

Lucian saw that revenge might make the woman spea