erstand that he came from Stephen. His name was Peterson. He said the
Comrades had changed their minds. They wouldn't let Stephen come to me.
I must send the papers that night or my brother would die. When I asked
the reason for the change, Peterson pretended not to know. Now, I
understand at last. Stephen was dead already. Cheffinsky and the others
had at last lost their hold over me and dared not wait longer. I sent
the envelope to Peterson by Clo, to the Westmorland Hotel. Yes, the man
who was murdered! That has been another horror for me. It was when I was
taking the envelope to Clo, in the car, that I broke the rope of pearls,
and dared not even stop to pick them up! I hoped that Stephen was
saved--thanks to Clo--but, Roger, it was not the same envelope you took
care of for me in the train. It had been changed. Inside, when Peterson
opened it before Clo, he found only blank paper--writing paper of the
Santa Fe Limited train. Clo puzzled the mystery out, and explained what
might have happened when you and I left the train in Chicago--what must
have happened. A clever trick of Justin O'Reilly's, working for the
Herons."

"Justin O'Reilly! Damn him!" Roger broke out; but Beverley covered his
lips with her hand.

"No. He wasn't to blame. He must have thought me a monster of
ingratitude and treachery to the Herons. The moment they saw the secret
drawer open they would all have guessed that I'd stolen the sealed
envelope. It was the only thing kept there. If John Heron told O'Reilly
what the contents were, he must have supposed I meant to make money by
blackmailing. The reason the Herons were silent and left me alone, was
that O'Reilly had managed to have you robbed of the envelope, at
Chicago, where it was changed for another--another just like it, given
him by Dolores, with her seal and gold wax. So they were safe. O'Reilly
kept the right envelope, and it was safer with him than at Albuquerque.
But they could never be sure whether you were in the affair with me or
not. So, I have lost you the Herons' friendship."

"As if I cared!"

"And Justin O'Reilly has doubted you, and detested me. But he has been
splendid to Clo, who went to his hotel and stole the real envelope out
of his private safe and brought it here----"

"So that was it!" said Roger. "And in your boudoir I found the envelope
addressed to him at his bank, and sent it back to the Dietz that night."

"Roger! It was you?"

"Yes. You are not the only one